Vigilance raids in police stations unearth mafia nexus, irregularities

Thiruvananthapuram:   Lightning raids by State Vigilance in 53 police stations across the state has unearthed details of the police nexus with quarry mafia and financial instituitions,  in addition to numerous irregularities. 

The raids under the name 'Operation Thurnder',  also revealed records and other evidence showing  sloppy invesgitations into cases involving motor accidents and inadequate documentation proving non-compliance with procedurs.

The raids were conducted on a tip-off to  Vigilance Director BS Mohammed Yasin about the mafia links of police personnel.  The operation also brought it to light that most police stations failed to maintain the cash declaration register properly.

In some stations, not even a single case related to sand quarries has been registered after 2012.

In Kumbla station in Kasargod district, it was found that sand mining was going on at Puzhikadavu though the court had issued an order stopping it.

An amount of nearly Rs 80,000 entered in the case register was missing from Karunagapally station in Kollam district, while Rs 57,740 was missing from Payyoli station in Kozhikode district and Rs 3,060 from Kozhikode town station.

As many as12.7 grams of gold, apart from five mobile phones, nearly 100 vehicles and original records of two vehicles found in the station compound of Bekal station of Kasargod district were not entered in the register.

Gold weighing 11.52 grams, two mobile phones, Rs 4,223 and 11 petitions were found abandoned in Kozhikode town station.

The Mepadi police station in Wayanad had not taken any action on complaints related to three financial frauds that were registered nine months to one year ago.  Moreover,  Aadhaar cards and driving licences abandoned by owners,  were found from the station compound.

In Pulpally station there were no entries in the cash book of after January 1. Receipts were issued only in three cases registered in January. None of the officials of the station were maintaining cash register. The Vigilance also found illegally detained records of vehicles and their keys from the inquiry officer of the station.

In Mavelikara station of Alappuzha district, officials registered 1,092 cases of drunken driving and 14 cases of 304 (A). However, only 318 cases were reported for cancelling the driving licences. Such failures were detected in Alappuzha north station. Vehicle records were illegally detained in both these stations.

In Mavelikara station, samples of toddy from seven toddy shops were recovered on January 14. However, these samples were not preserved or sealed.

The cash declaration registers of Chakkarakkal, Kovalloor and Ullikkal stations of Kannur district and Pandalam station of  Pathanathitta district were also found to be not properly maintained.  

The Vigilance recovered 250 grams of ganja from inside the table of the SI of Bekal police station and recommended action against SI Vinod Kumar. The ganja was stored in 29 packets in the table. The Vigilance also recovered five mobile phones, 12 grams of gold, including bracelet and ring, along with original records of three vehicles and five receipts of fines seized from vehicles.

From  three police stations in Idukki district,  cash was recovered from the officials and gold from the Adimali station. When Vigilance questioned the officials, they said the gold was found floating in the floods.

As per Vigilance sources, the raids would continue in other stations.