Pictures on social media showed police personnel wearing black armbands in support of their colleagues who were arrested after the tech company executive was shot dead.
Nothing seems to be going right for the Uttar Pradesh Police department these days. Days after the shocking murder of a top executive of Apple company by a 'trigger-happy' constable, the state police was left red-faced on Friday when it discovered that a social media campaign was being run by its own men in support of the accused in Vivek Tiwari murder case.
Pictures on social media showed police personnel wearing black armbands in support of their colleagues who were arrested after the tech company executive was shot dead when he refused to stop his car for checking in Lucknow's upscale Gomti Nagar extension area on September 29 night.
Two constables, Prashant Chowdhury and Sandeep Kumar, were arrested after an FIR was lodged on basis of a complaint by Tiwari's colleague Sana Khan, who was travelling with him.
Also Read: Apple executive murder: 'Trigger happy' constable had no arms training, reveals SIT probe
As the news about the purported social media campaign, Cm Yogi Adityanath summoned principal secretary, home secretary and DGP seeking an explanation over the matter. Soon, the officers swung into action.
Three SHOs were removed, four constables suspended and two ex-policemen were arrested. Incharges of Naka, Gudamba and Aliganj police stations in the state capital were removed and three constables posted there suspended.
DIG (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar told reporters that a departmental probe has also been ordered.
On Thursday, former constables, Brijendra Yadav and Avinash Pathak, dismissed from service earlier in different cases, were arrested from Varanasi and Mirzapur, while a policeman, Sarvesh Chowdhury, posted in Raebareli was suspended over the same issue, police said.
An FIR has also been registered against Sarvesh Chowdhury for posting an 11-minute video in which he purportedly claims that he had offered and has been collecting money for the two constables accused in the killing of the Apple executive. He is also seen taking swipes at political leaders and top police officials.
Officials said a probe has been ordered into reports that constables were posting their pictures with black armbands on in support of their two accused colleagues, and that action would be taken against those found involved in such acts.
WATCH: Aaj Ki Baat - Social media campaign in support of Vivek Tiwari murder accused leaves UP Police red-faced
(With inputs from PTI)
