Govt withdraws gallantry medals given to 3 policemen

October 13, 2017 20:36

Gallantry medals given to three policemen have been withdrawn after they were found to be involved in corruption and other cases, a Union home ministry official said today.

The three men are Dharmendra Choudhary, former Madhya Pradesh additional superintendent of police, Punjab Police sub-inspector Gurmeet Singh and Jharkhand Police sub-inspector Lalit Kumar.

While Choudhary's Police Medal for Gallantry was withdrawn in September, Lalit Kumar's was taken away in June and Gurmeet Singh's in May, an official said.

The medal given to Choudhary, who was promoted to Indian Police Service from state police service, was withdrawn for allegedly orchestrating a fake encounter, he said.

Choudhary was posted in Jhabua as ASP in 2002 when he gunned down a criminal wanted by police in the encounter.

Choudhary received a gallantry medal from then president A P J Abdul Kalam for killing the wanted criminal.

However, an investigation was ordered by the National Human Rights Commission to look into the encounter following a complaint. It was later found that the encounter was fake, the official said, without divulging further

information.

Gurmeet Singh was given the medal in 1997 on a proposal submitted by the state government for his bravery during service.

He was convicted in a murder case and given life imprisonment in 2006. He was later dismissed from service.

However, the Union home ministry learnt about the conviction only in July 2015. The matter was taken up with the Punjab government, which confirmed the conviction and advised the ministry to initiate the process of withdrawal of the medal, the official said.

After taking views from intelligence agencies, the home ministry sent a proposal to former president Pranab Mukherjee that his medal be withdrawn who then gave his go-ahead.

Lalit Kumar was found to be involved in corruption cases, the official said.

According to guidelines issued by the home ministry, the gallantry medal is withdrawn when the awardee is convicted by any court of law for such an act or conduct involving moral turpitude which brings the police force into disrepute or awardee is dismissed from service for similar act. -- PTI

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

Why Are Voters Not Turning Up To Vote?

Are the unusually and unbearably scorching Sun and the general laxity, bordering on laziness, among voters, responsible, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.

Jailed pro-Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh to contest LS polls

Singh's mother also claimed that pressure was being put on him to contest the polls, adding that he will now begin his political innings from Khadoor Sahib.

Recipe: Richard Holkar's Murgi Survedar

This recipe has a wonderful royal touch.

Leicester back in Premier League as Leeds humbled at QPR

Leicester City earned promotion back to the Premier League on Friday after nearest rivals Leeds United were beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers, ensuring the Championship leaders will finish in the top two in the standings.

Salman home shooting: Lookout circular against gangster Bishnoi's brother

The police are also likely to take custody of Lawrence Bishnoi, who is currently lodged in a jail in Gujarat's Sabarmati, and was also contemplating invoking the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in the case, he said.