SHILLONG: Out-going Director General of Police (DGP) LR Bishnoi found himself embroiled in a controversy after a suspended police officer accused the top cop of tempering with the registration number of his official vehicle.
Police officer Gabriel K Iangrai, on Thursday, filed a case against DGP Bishnoi accusing him of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery and cheating, alleging that he misused his authority not to get his vehicle registered.
According to the FIR lodged at the Sadar police station in Shillong, Iangrai contends the vehicle had been allocated a fraudulent number, and further noted that the Assistant Inspector General-A did not complete the registration process due to a lack of documentation.
Backing his claims with evidence obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) application, Iangrai highlighted that the registration number assigned to a white minivan, utilised by the DGP, actually corresponds to the sedan registered with the state Tourism Department.
Furthermore, Iangrai alleged that Bishnoi, upon assuming office, replaced the original number plate of the minivan, a requisitioned vehicle from the government of Assam, with that of the sedan.
He also contends that the luxury vehicle exceeds the permissible cost limit for the DGP’s official use, pegged at Rs 12 lakh, by a significant margin, with a reported value of nearly Rs 40 lakh.
Accompanying his complaint with photographic evidence and the RTI correspondence, Iangrai implored authorities to take appropriate legal action against Bishnoi, emphasising the gravity of the accusations levelled against him.
The suspended cop further added that an enquiry committee, convened on July 18, 2022, unearthed discrepancies regarding the registration of a sedan parked at the Central Workshop.
Confirming the developments, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Rituraj Ravi, told a local daily that the vehicle which the DGP uses in his official capacity, does not have a suitable number plate.
“We have registered a case based on the FIR and we will start an investigation,” he was quoted as saying.
