Tripura govt suspends eight police officers including DSP

The Tripura government has suspended eight police officers, including a deputy superintendent of police of West Tripura district, two days after its superintendent of police was placed under suspension, a top police officer said on Saturday.

The state government on Friday placed Banuj Biplab Das, the DSP(Hq) and DSP(district inetlligence bureau), Debaprasad Roy, officer-in-charge of West Agartala police station, sub-inspector Pradip Acharya, two personal bodyguards of former state minister Badal Chowdhury and three constables under suspension, the officer said.

Chowdhury, a CPI(M) central committee member, is absconding after a local court rejected his anticipatory bail application on Wednesday.

Chowdhury has been accused of being involved in a Rs 630 crore scam when he was PWD minister in the erstwhile Left Front government.

Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla, however, refused to divulge the reason behind the suspension of the eight police personnel.

"This is an internal matter of the government and I will not comment on this", Shukla told PTI on Saturday.

Ajit Pratap Singh, the West Tripura police superintendent was suspended and Raju Reang, the sub-divisional police officer of New Capital Complex who was investigating the corruption case against senior CPI(M) leader Badal Chowdhury was transferred on Thursday.

The Tripura government also transferred southern range deputy inspector general Arindam Nath to police head quarter with immediate effect.

A team of top police officers had on Thursday met Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who holds charge of the home portfolio, and demanded revocation of suspension order of Singh and cancellation of the transfer order of Nath.

Meanwhile, Chowdhury's counsel Arindam Bhattacharya said they have moved the Tripura High Court for anticipatory bail.