Hyd cop running cell phone stealing racket with minors dismissed

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police on Tuesday dismissed Mekala Eshwar, former police officer, Hyderabad west zone task force, who was found operating a gang of cell phone thieves with nine pickpockets, including three juveniles.

Earlier, in November 2022, the Nalgonda police arrested two of the gang members and during interrogation, they revealed that Eshwar was the mastermind behind the mobile phone thefts.

Soon, Eshwar was arrested and booked under sections 401, 417, 420, 379, 120(B) and 109 of IPC and sections 83(2) and 87 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

The Hyderabad police said, "This is a case which reflects unbridled misuse of authority and power which the police department gave him and it is a severe criminal breach of trust on his part as he had been endowed with important assignments based on his performance to serve the public better."

Further, the police noted that it was not practically reasonable to conduct a regular departmental inquiry with the accused officer in service as it was likely that the accused might attempt to threaten the victims and witnesses.

Ruling out a department inquiry and citing the reasons for the same, the Hyderabad police said, "Moreover, the charged officer is maintaining gangs including minor children not only in Hyderabad city but also in other districts as well as other states. He has a criminal bent of mind which is amply proven and he can go to any extent to threaten, influence, and intimidate the victims and witnesses. The regular department inquiry may take a long time during which there is likely to be an interaction between him and the victims and witnesses which can be intimidating to them. Therefore, there will be no atmosphere to conduct a free and fair inquiry."

The Hyderabad police have also taken action against three other police officers who shared a close connection with Mekala Eashwar. The three officers are Y. Ajay Kumar, inspector, Shahinayatgunj PS; T. Srinath Reddy, inspector, north zone task force; and Sai Venkat Kishore, inspector, Cyberabad commissionerate.