Daijiworld Media Network - Bhopal
Bhopal, Apr 17: In a strong reprimand against misconduct in the police force, the Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on senior IPS officer Mayank Awasthi, currently serving as DIG in Bhopal. The court found Awasthi guilty of deliberately obstructing a murder investigation and misleading the Trial Court by withholding critical evidence during his tenure as Superintendent of Police in Datia.
Alongside the hefty fine, the court has directed the initiation of a departmental inquiry against the officer. Awasthi has been given one month to deposit the fine, with the court warning that non-compliance will trigger recovery proceedings and the possible registration of a contempt case.
The High Court condemned Awasthi for "suppressing records"—including call detail records (CDRs) and mobile location data—that were essential to the investigation. These records were ordered to be preserved by a trial court on September 7, 2018. However, despite receiving the data on September 17 of that year, Awasthi failed to submit it to the court.
In a scathing observation, the bench questioned whether individuals like Awasthi should continue to serve in the police department. The Director General of Police (DGP) has been tasked with overseeing the departmental probe, assessing Awasthi’s motives and conduct. A charge sheet must be prepared, and the DGP has been asked to update the court on the inquiry’s status by May 20, 2025.
The controversy stems from a murder case involving accused Manvendra Singh, who is facing charges under IPC Sections 147, 148, 149, 294, 307, 336, and 302 for the killing of a man named Kailash and the attempted murder of another individual.
An application filed on August 13, 2018, challenged the official account of the incident, which allegedly occurred on September 24, 2017, in Datia. Contrary to police claims, evidence indicated that the victims were actually in Amayan, Bhind at the time. The call records and mobile location data were crucial to establishing this, prompting the trial court’s directive to preserve them.
Despite this, the Cyber Cell later reported that the data was irretrievable, having exceeded the standard data retention window. The court has now asked the current Superintendent of Police in Datia to submit any remaining call data records related to the case within ten days of April 16.
The High Court noted that Awasthi’s conduct appears to be a deliberate attempt to either shield the accused or mislead the court—casting serious doubt on his integrity and raising alarm bells over the potential misuse of authority in high-profile investigations.