Bihar IPS officer accused of extortion faces suspension

Under attack from opposition, the Bihar government has initiated process to take action against a senior Indian Police Service officer, for allegedly demanding Rs 10 crore as extortion from a liquor mafia, an official on Saturday said.

Last month, the then Deputy Inspector General of Saran Alok Kumar was removed by the government after charges of extortion from a liquor mafia were found true during an investigation by the economic offence unit of the police and posted him at the police headquarters.

“The state police headquarters has sent a recommendation to the home department for his suspension," an official of home department said.

The home department will send the file to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for approval of the suspension order. Earlier, the home department had issued a showcause notice to Kumar.

According to officials in chief minister office, the government is also decided to repatriate Kumar to his parent Jammu & Kashmir cadre
soon.

The economic offence unit officials have found substantive evidence against Kumar after recording several statements, including
those

of his staff, police officials said.

Bihar police chief Abhyanand ordered a probe against Kumar following a complaint by the liquor mafia in January.

Three people connected with the senior IPS official have been arrested after an FIR was filed against them. The police have recovered Rs 5 lakh from the houses of one of the three accused.

The Bihar government has started seizing properties of those involved in illegal liquor trade following the death of more than 60 people, mostly poor, after consuming illicit liquor in various parts of the state over the past two months.

Kumar is a Jammu and Kashmir cadre 1997 batch IPS officer. Earlier, he served as the senior superintendent of police, Patna.