Bhubaneswar: Suspended IPS officer of Odisha, Dayal Gangwar, had engaged eight policemen in his domestic works, according to an official report.
Gangwar, who was serving as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Home Department, was suspended following allegations of harassment by the family of GRP constable Soumya Ranjan Swain who was beaten to death by a mob for allegedly attempting to rape a woman last month.
“The Director General of Police, Odisha has submitted a confidential report regarding retention of eight GRP personnel by Dayal Gangwar… for work in his residence, even after his transfer from the post of ADGP Railway & Coastal Security without approval of the competent authority,” a home department notification on the officer’s suspension said.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Thursday ordered the suspension of the 1998-batch officer based on the confidential report of the DGP.
Following Swain’s lynching, his parents had alleged that their son was under severe stress due to the physical and mental torture by Gangwar.
The state government had engaged senior IPS officer and ADG Railways & Coastal Security Arun Bothra to probe into allegations, and his report had been submitted to the DGP.
A two-member NHRC team had also interrogated Gangwar based on the allegation of Swain’s parents.
The official notification said that a disciplinary proceeding against Gangwar is contemplated on the grounds of grave misconduct as a member of the IPS cadre in accordance with All India Services (Conduct) Rules 1968.
The notification said that during the period of suspension, Gagnwar’s posting is fixed at the State Police Headquarters at Cuttack, and he cannot leave the headquarters without obtaining the permission of the DGP.
Gangwar’s name had surfaced during the investigation into the lynching of Swain, who was allegedly tied to a pole and beaten to death in Bhingarpur-Kaja in the Balianta Police Station area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar May 7.
The mob attack took place after a woman accused the constable of attempting to rape her following a collision between his motorcycle and her two-wheeler, according to police.
The 1998-batch IPS officer was subsequently transferred and posted as OSD in the Home Department by the state government before his suspension.
The opposition BJD had also raised questions over the alleged connection between the deceased constable and the senior IPS officer, who was ADG (Railways) two years back and supposedly knew Swain since then.
The party claimed that Swain had been engaged in work at Gangwar’s residence and gymnasium instead of performing official police duties.
As part of the probe into the mob-lynching case, the state government had earlier suspended four police personnel, disengaged two home guards and transferred the inspector-in-charge of Balianta police station over their alleged roles and conduct in the incident.
Police have so far arrested 18 persons, including the prime accused, in connection with the lynching.
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