MP News: Balaghat Police Station Malkhana Seizures Embezzlement Case; Failures Of Supervisory Officers

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The PHQ officials are annoyed over theft committed in Balaghat police station malkhana (locker room) where its incharge stole gold and silver jewellery worth Rs 55 lakh and put the money in gambling.

The incident took place because the supervisory officers did not perform their duties according to the manual, officials said here on Wednesday.

Madhya Pradesh has 1,100 police stations and every police station has a locker room called malkhana where the seized items are kept.

Special DGP, CID, Pawan Shrivastava told Free Press that it was a total failure on part of supervisory officials who had the responsibility to check the police station including roznamcha and malkhana at regular intervals.

“First responsibility is of police station incharge who has to check the malkhana regularly. Second responsibility is of area SDOP followed by additional superintendent of police and SP. The responsibility then comes to DIG and IG or ADG of range,” he said.

According to Shrivastava, PHQ regularly serves letters to officials to check roznamcha and malkhana at regular intervals. How many are checking them, the date and signature can be seen on inspection diary.

“After Balaghat incident, we are finding out how many officials inspect malkhana and how many are still asleep. The PHQ will take strict action against such officials,” he added.

Old Standard Operating Procedure

According to officials, during their field duty, whenever they visited police station, they would pick up roznamcha take it to malkhana and would lock it. This would follow visit to all rooms in police station. After physical verification, they would return to malkhana and check whether the entries made in roznamcha were correct.

Awaiting action

PHQ officials are waiting what action do the zone and district unit of Balaghat police take against negligent officials including Kotwali police station incharge and SDOP.

Balaghat IGP Sanjay Kumar said,'Malkhana case is under investigation. Shortly, the action will be taken against the careless personnel.’