Kochi : Ernakulam Central Police on Thursday arrested a sub-inspector attached to the same police station for allegedly stealing MDMA seized by police in a narcotics case.
The arrested person is Aneez S Thoufeeq, 29, a native of Thiruvananthapuram. The difference in According to the FIR, Thoufeeq entered the strong room without permission and allegedly stole a sealed packet which contained 87.37g of MDMA seized by Elamakkara Police in a narcotics case on Oct 18. The police registered the FIR under Sections 306 (theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master) and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence) of BNS and Section 21(c) (punishment for offences involving a commercial quantity of manufactured drugs) of the NDPS Act.
They have also launched a probe into the financial background of the officer.
The police said that an investigation is under way into the motive behind the officer’s action. As per the FIR, the officer acted with the intention of stealing the contraband in police custody. The FIR was registered on the complaint of an officer who was in charge of the strong room of the station. Drugs which were seized in various narcotics cases were stored in the strong room ahead of moving them to the godown at the DHQ camp for disposal. He then tampered with the evidence, knowing that it was MDMA. The action of the accused resulted in a difference in the quantity of MDMA contained in it. They are also checking whether he received assistance from anyone else at the station.
Earlier in the day, he was suspended based on a special branch report.
After learning that an inquiry was under way, he allegedly returned another unsealed packet containing 202g of MDMA on Oct 26. As per the suspension order against the officer, officers later noticed a discrepancy in the quantity of the drug.