Complaint letter not fake: Police

LUCKNOW: The purported letter sent by deputy superintendent of police Devendra Mishra, the circle officer of Bilhaur who was killed in a failed raid in Bikru village, is authentic, police in Uttar Pradesh said on Thursday.

In the purported report, which surfaced on social media on July 6, Mishra informed the then Kanpur senior superintendent of police (SSP) that Vinay Tiwari, the Chaubeypur station officer who has been suspended and arrested, was protecting hardened criminal Vikas Dubey, whose gang ambushed eight police personnel on July 3.

Tiwari was saving the gangster, who faces 60 criminal cases, and inaction could lead to a major incident, the letter said, doubting the integrity of the now-arrested station officer who has been booked for criminal conspiracy in connection with the attack on the police team.

After the letter surfaced, police said they were investigating it. A section of the police, however, said the report was a fake one.

Officials said Laxmi Singh, inspector general (IG) of police, Lucknow range, was asked to inquire into the letter and its content. Singh recommended a detailed probe into the allegation that the then Kanpur SSP did not take action against Tiwari despite being alerted by Mishra.

UP director general of police (DGP) Hitesh Chandra Awasthy said on Thursday Singh submitted her findings to him with a recommendation for a detailed inquiry into the allegations against the former Kanpur SSP. He, however, clarified that there was no evidence to confirm that the former SSP received the report.

Awasthy said the findings suggested that Mishra’s letter was composed by a woman head constable, as asked by the deputy superintendent, at the Bilhaur circle officer’s office. He said the findings, however, did not clarify the date on which the letter was composed.

“On the basis of her findings, the IG recommended a detailed inquiry as it was not possible to reach a conclusion in two days of probe. I am further going through the report and will decide accordingly. If required, forensic examination of the computer will be conducted to know the date and time of the letter,” Awasthy said.