NEW DELHI, Aug 24: The Jharkhand police has claimed that the two AK-47 rifles and some 60 live cartridges recovered from the residence of the chief minister Hemant Soren’s close aide Prem Prakash belonged to the local police officers.
The Enforcement Directorate sleuths during a raid at the residence of Prem Prakash in connection with a Rs 100-crore mining scam on Wednesday, claimed that they had recovered two rifles and about 60 cartridges from a locked iron almirah.
In a statement, the Ranchi Police said it has suspended two of its officers for keeping their rifles at Prem Prakash’s home.
According to the police, the officers claimed that on Tuesday when they were returning home after duty, they visited their acquaintance who happened to be a staffer at Prem Prakash’s Jharkhand home. The officers claimed they visited Prakash’s home due to bad weather, kept their rifles and cartridges inside the almirahs, and took the keys along with them.
The cops said when they returned to take back their rifles on Wednesday, they found a raid was being carried out at the premises and hence they could not take their weapons back.
The police further said the cops have been suspended with immediate effect for their negligent behaviour.
Vinod Kumar, SHO Argora Police Station, said the arms recovered from Prem Prakash’s residence belong to security personnel with the police.
(Manas Dasgupta)