Celebratory firing lands ex-Katihar SP in trouble

PATNA: The celebratory firing by Sidhartha Mohan Jain on his transfer from Katihar as SP on Tuesday has not only landed him in the soup, but the state police headquarters on Wednesday also cancelled his movement order for central deputation to join the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as SP. He will report to the police headquarters till further orders.
The video showing Jain firing several rounds in the air during his farewell party went viral on Wednesday.The party was organized at the Katihar golf course ground on Tuesday night in which the outgoing Katihar district magistrate Mithilesh Mishra was also present. Jain, the 2006 batch Bihar cadre IPS officer, was not in uniform during the party.
The state police headquarters has also initiated an inquiry against Jain and two other 2011 batch IPS officers — Ashish Bharti and Rakesh Kumar, the outgoing SPs of Munger and Vaishali respectively. While Bharti’s alleged video shows him dancing in uniform with his subordinates, Kumar is shown exchanging garlands with his wife on the stage during the farewell parties organized in their respective districts.
Sources said Kumar’s farewell took place on May 30, which coincided with his marriage anniversary. On request of his subordinates, Kumar, who was not in uniform, and his wife exchanged garlands on the stage.
All the farewell parties were held after the massive transfer of IAS and IPS officers on April 27 night.
ADG (headquarters) SK Singhal said the movement order for Jain, necessary for relieving him for central deputation, was cancelled after the alleged video showing him firing several rounds in the air went viral. “The movement order is issued from the office of director general of police (DGP) and is necessary for an IPS office leaving the home cadre. The state government has been informed about the action taken by the headquarters against Jain in connection with the video,” he said.
“Now the state government is to take a call on Jain’s fate if he will be able to go on central deputation or not,” Singhal added.
The ADG said action against Bharti and Kumar would be decided only after the inquiry. He said the headquarters has also issued an advisory to all officers to behave at public places like civil servants and adhere to the rules of police manuals strictly.