Duped police trainees of Rs 7 lakh to try luck in online gambling; Police constable arrested in Thiruvananthapuram

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Shambhu R Krishnan, a police constable of the Kerala Armed Police 3rd Battalion, was arrested for allegedly embezzling Rs. 7 lakh collected from his colleagues to buy uniforms. The Peroorkada police had registered a case of money siphoning against Shambhu R. Krishnan yesterday. Shambu confessed that he lost all of the embezzled money in online gambling.

Shambhu is a member of the seven-member uniform committee. Shambhu embezzled the money from his colleagues to buy uniform materials and sew them for the police recruit trainees of the 3rd and 5th battalions of the SAP. The money should have been paid to the SAP Dry Canteen and the Wilson'S Allied Police Uniform Society. However, the amount collected was not paid to the Dry Canteen or the Uniform Society. When questioned by trainees, Shambhu confessed that he lost all the money to online games. Immediately, Mujeeb Rahman, the temporary commandant of the SAP battalion, filed a complaint with the Peroorkada police.

The FIR states that money was transferred from trainees to the accused's mobile number from July 3 to 13. The amount transferred ranged from Rs 10,000 to Rs 60,000. It is recorded that Rs 44,000 was transferred from RTPC 139 of the Fourth Platoon on July 5 and Rs 41,800 on July 6. Rs 33,000 each was transferred from RTPC 104 of the Fifth Platoon on July 6 and 7. A total of Rs 7.18 lakh reached the accused's account.