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Cop suspended for not flagging consul’s report to superiors
A Bengaluru police officer was suspended for failing to report a suspicious man flagged by the French Consulate, sparking a serious lapse inquiry.
A Bengaluru police officer was suspended for not informing his superiors about a man who was reported as suspicious by the French Consulate, police said on Saturday.
The consulate had contacted the High Grounds police on September 22, flagging unusual behaviour by a man close to the luxury hotel. Sub-inspector Umashankar M and his team detained the person on the same day but did not initiate legal proceedings. Instead, the man was released overnight, an action that sparked alarm among embassy officials, who escalated the matter to senior police authorities, police said.
A subsequent internal inquiry found that no complaint had been filed by the consulate’s representatives. Still, investigators concluded that the officer’s failure to alert senior officers about the consulate’s information amounted to a serious lapse.
“The accused was handed back without due process, which is a serious breach of duty,” Central DCP Akshay M Hakay told Hindustan Times. “The police officer did not inform higher officers about the French Consulate’s information. We consider it a serious lapse on his part. Negligence of this sort cannot be tolerated. Upholding the dignity and credibility of our department is paramount.”
Following the inquiry, SI Umashankar was suspended for dereliction of duty and gross negligence. Police officers also confirmed that inspector Bharath, who was in charge of the High Grounds station, is under investigation to determine whether he was aware of the incident or failed to exercise oversight.
