Five Manipur police personnel suspended over grave misconduct

The Manipur Police have suspended five of its personnel, including an inspector, on charges of grave misconduct, dereliction of duty, and conduct unbecoming of a police officer, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Inspector Ningthoujam Devdas Singh, officer-in-charge of the Commando Unit in Imphal East, was suspended with immediate effect by an order of Director General of Police Rajiv Singh. During the suspension period, his headquarters will be the office of the Superintendent of Police, Imphal East, and he will not be allowed to leave without prior permission from the competent authority. He will be entitled to subsistence allowances as per service rules.

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Four others were also placed under suspension — Sub Inspector B Debson Singh and Constable Tarique Aziz of the Imphal East commando unit, Head Constable Md Rakib of the Thoubal commando unit, and Jemadar Md Amin Shah of the 7th Battalion of Manipur Rifles at Khabeisoi in Imphal East. Separate orders were issued for each officer.

While the police statement did not specify the details of the misconduct, officials familiar with the case said the suspensions were linked to allegations of bribery involving the release of drug peddlers caught with narcotics. Sub Inspector Debson Singh, one of the suspended officers, had earlier been arrested in 2013 for allegedly transporting drugs worth over ₹3 crore to Moreh in Tengnoupal district.

The suspensions are part of what senior officials described as a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and indiscipline within the state police force.