Panaji: Ahead of proposed disciplinary action against him, deputy superintendent of police Chandrakant Salgaonkar has been suspended by the state Vigilance department for being named as an accused in an FIR registered by director of Mines and Geology department last week.
Salgaonkar, currently attached with the Criminal Investigation Department(CID), was suspended to ensure free and fair investigation into the case registered on October 12, said Amarsen Rane, additional director (Vigilance).
The first information report has also named Congress leader Jitendra Deshprabhu besides senior officials of Mines and Geology department, including ex-director Arvind Lolienkar, among the accused.
Interestingly the case is being investigated by the police crime branch with which Salgaonkar had worked earlier. The crime branch sleuths are probing nexus among politicians, police and mines officials.
Official sources said Lolienkar, who is under suspension, is accused of protecting Deshprabhu in the illegal mining case registered against the Congress leader last year.
Salgaonkar has been accused of deliberately carrying out a shoddy investigation and for destroying evidence to protect Deshprabhu. (UNI)