Thiruvananthapuram: Six police officers attached to Museum police station have been transferred to the armed reserve (AR) camp for lapses after accused in the case involving the alleged assault on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials held Onam celebrations in front of the station. Action has been initiated against CPOs Aju, Dinukumar, Ratheesh, Ginish, Sudheesh, Drishya and Arun.Those transferred include the station general diary charge officer and personnel who allegedly stood by while the accused recorded videos of the celebrations. A departmental inquiry against them will continue.The action follows a special branch report that pointed to serious lapses by police personnel. The report said the accused, who had come to the station to comply with bail conditions, should have been asked to leave immediately after signing. Instead, they were allegedly allowed to participate in Onam celebrations, including chenda performances, swinging and reel-making, in front of the station.Meanwhile, police have approached the court seeking cancellation of bail granted to two of the accused — first accused Nithin Raj and 16th accused I P Binu, CPM Palayam local committee secretary and former corporation councillor. Special public prosecutor Santhosh Kumar filed the petition, alleging that the two violated their bail conditions by participating in the celebrations. The Thiruvananthapuram judicial first class magistrate court-III will consider the plea on Saturday.A decision on action against Museum SHO R Prasanth, who was found to have close links with the accused, will be taken at the inspector general level. Prasanth, who is also the state president of the Police Officers Association, had earlier been transferred and relinquished charge of the station.The DCP will conduct a detailed inquiry into whether police personnel had facilitated the celebrations or had any form of conspiracy or understanding with the accused. Law and order ADGP P Vijay had ordered the probe after videos of the accused celebrating Onam outside the station surfaced on social media. The special branch had submitted a preliminary report even before the ADGP-ordered inquiry.The report, based on CCTV footage and other evidence, said police personnel failed to prevent the accused from celebrating outside the station. It also recommended a detailed investigation into allegations that officers had facilitated the event.The accused had arrived at the station to sign as required under their bail conditions. However, videos showed them participating in the celebrations and posting reels on social media, triggering controversy. Allegations that police had purchased Onam clothes for the accused along with their own outfits were not substantiated during the preliminary inquiry.Twenty-five accused in the ED assault case were granted bail by the high court after spending 68 days in jail.
