Babulal Marandi alleges Jharkhand Govt of shielding cattle smugglers, wants probe into murder of SI Sandhya Topno

Referring the incident of July 20 at Tupudana in which a 2018 batch SI Sandhya Topno was mowed down by a vehicle carrying smuggled cow, BJP legislature party chief Babulal Marandi alleges the Jharkhand government of being protector of those involved in smuggling of bovine animals.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Marandi said it was due to intention of the state government to save cattle smuggler, Kanhaiya Singh, whose role is doubtful in sending Topno with a constable and a police driver to intercept a speeding vehicle of smugglers which had already broken three barricading, has not been suspended so far and just placed him at the police line without any punishment.

He said not only this, posting a lady sub inspector, Meera Singh, in place of Kanhiaya Singh is also raises doubt over the intention of the state government as Meera Singh is the same officer whom the ACB had caught accepting Rs 15000 as bribe from a tribal lady and a charge sheet has been filed against her on April 23, 2021.

Questioning the intention of the government, Marandi pointed out while the suspension of an ADG rank officer is revoked after two and a half years after due judicial interference, it takes no time for the the Hemant Soren government to post the police officer in the state capital who has been charge sheeted by the ACB.

The BJP leader has demanded a proper probe into the matter of death of Topno either by a sitting high court judge or by the CBI after putting Kanhaiya under suspension and removing Meera from her present position. Marandi was of the opinion that the police officers of dubious character should not be posted to a police station.

Such posting, Marandi said, indicates the ‘give and take relationship’ of the ministers with the police officers.