Gujarat HC sets aside transfer of two police constables

Gujarat High Court today ordered the state government to reinstate two police constables who were transferred out of Ahmedabad following the 2009 hooch tragedy here for alleged links with bootleggers.
Justice C L Soni termed the government order illegal and directed the home department to reinstate both the constables to their original postings.
In July 2009, more than 100 people died after consuming spurious country liquor, causing a public furore over police's failure to prevent sale of alcohol in the state where prohibition is in force.
Police authorities transferred Hadmatsinh Sisodiya and Dadansinh Chavda, on the ground that they had connections with some bootleggers here.

Sisodiya, who was posted at Detection of Crime Branch here, was transferred to Jamnagar district and Chavda, who was posted in Shaherkotda police station, was transferred to Amreli.
Both challenged their transfers contending that constabulary had been made a scapegoat in the hooch tragedy by the home department which did not hold senior officers responsible.
They also argued that under Bombay Police Act, the authorities could not transfer police constables outside their 'parent district'.