Bengaluru policeman suspended over link with lottery kingpin

The Karnataka government on Saturday suspended the city's Additional Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar for his alleged links with a lottery scam kingpin, an official source said. The police officer, however, denied any nexus.

"Kumar has been placed under suspension pending inquiry against him on his purported links with lottery scam kingpin Pari Rajan," an official in the state home ministry told IANS on condition of anonymity.

The suspension of the Indian Police Service (IPS) officer comes a day after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted an interim report on the illegal single-digit lottery racket in the state operated by Rajan.

While investigating the ramifications of the illegal lottery operations, the CID stumbled upon the numbers of Kumar, two additional directors general of police (ADGPs), three inspectors general of police (IGPs) and two former directors general of police (DGPs) in the landline and mobile phone call records of Rajan.

"State chief secretary Kaushik Mukherjee has apprised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister K.J. George of the findings in the report including the alleged links of the top police officials (present and past) with Rajan," the official added.

An unfazed Kumar, however, denied any nexus with Rajan and said he knew the kingpin as a friend and considered him a well wisher.

"I have no comments on my suspension. I am yet to receive an order to that effect. I am ready to face any probe, as I have nothing to hide nor have I done any wrong," Kumar told reporters at his office.

The state home department had recently suspended Superintendent of Police (Lottery Squad) Dharanesh for failing to curb the menace.