Telangana DGP CV Anand along with senior officers addressing a media conference on the Madras Regiment arms theft case
On the night of Aug 30, Mallesh allegedly stole 12 military-grade weapons and ammunition from the armoury, according to Hyderabad police.
The MI team will also share relevant details with the inquiry panel internally,” the senior officer said. Police and Army suspect involvement of other personnel in the theft. This team, along with Telangana police, conducted an extensive probe which led to initial breakthroughs in the case. “The MI team displayed high standards of professionalism and cracked the case. What was crucial was the coordination with police. Had that not been maintained, the case would have taken more time.
Pune: The Army’s Southern Command has now ordered a court of inquiry into the theft last month of weapons from an infantry battalion of the Madras Regiment based in Secunderabad Cantonment, tasking a Major General-rank officer and a team of senior officers to find out how AK-203 rifles, pistols and rounds of matching ammunition were taken away allegedly by a retired havildar.
The Army inquiry will primarily examine possible procedural lapses, security arrangements at the unit and the sequence of events that led to the theft, a senior Army officer told TOI. The sequence of events will also be examined,” the senior Army officer said. Hyderabad police have a suspect in custody, identified as ex-havildar U Mallesh. “The Major General of the division in Pune will preside over the court of inquiry panel. He, along with other senior Army officers on the panel, will investigate the matter. They will mainly focus on procedural lapses and security arrangements at the unit.
A team of officers from Southern Command’s Military Intelligence (MI) unit has played a crucial role in the investigation.