By Indo-Asian News Service
Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has finally suspended senior police official Dinesh M.N. who was arrested three weeks ago in neighbouring Gujarat for his alleged role in the extra-judicial killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh.
“We have issued suspension orders of Dinesh M.N. on Tuesday and have informed the union government about it,” a home department official told IANS here Wednesday.
The suspension is effective April 24, the day of his arrest.
Dinesh, along with Gujarat’s Inspector General of Police (Border Range) D.G. Vanjhgara and Superintendent of Police (Intelligence Bureau) Rajkumar Pandayan, was arrested by the Gujarat police for his alleged role in the staged shootout.
The three Indian Police Service (IPS) officers are in Ahmedabad jail in judicial custody while a probe is on.
Sheikh, a 33-year-old Madhya Pradesh resident, was killed in a gun battle Nov 26, 2005 in Ahmedabad during a joint operation by Gujarat’s Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Rajasthan police.
According to the government, Dinesh was “deemed suspended” after the arrest, though formal orders were issued only Tuesday.
“We suspended him as soon as we received an official intimation from the Gujarat government of his arrest,” the official said.
The Rajasthan government has so far maintained that the credentials and track record of its IPS officer was good. A day after his arrest Rajasthan Home Minister G.C. Kataria and two senior officials had rushed to Gujarat capital Gandhinagar.