Kanker: Police have booked the food inspector and two other officials for draining out 41 lakh liters of water from a water reservoir to retrieve a mobile phone in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, an official said on Thursday. Ravi Kumar Kujur, SDOP Pakhanjur while addressing a presser on Wednesday said that a FIR has been registered under sections 430, 34 of the IPC in Pakhanjur police station against main accused Food Inspector Rajesh Biswas, SDO Water Resources Department, Ramlal Dhivar and Sub Engineer Chhote Lal Dhruv.
Pertinently, section 430 of the IPC pertains to mischief by injury to works of irrigation or by wrongfully diverting water and cause, a diminution of the supply of water for agricultural purposes, or for food or drink for human beings or for animals which are property, or for cleanliness or for carrying on any manufacture.
Also read: Chhattisgarh: Official who gave nod' to drain weir to retrieve mobile phone suspended
The section stipulates an imprisonment which may extend to five years, or with fine, or both. The case was registered following a report by Naib Tehsildar Sunil Kumar Dhruv in this regard. The FIR came hours after Food Inspector Rajesh Vishwas was suspended for draining out 41 lakh liters of water from Paralkot reservoir in Kanker to retrieve his high end smartphone which he dropped in the reservoir on May 21.
Vishwas has also been fined Rs 53092 which he has been asked to deposit in the state treasury within 10 days. Sub-division Kapasi's SDO RL Dhiwar was also suspended on Wednesday for giving oral permission to the food inspector to drain water from the Paralkot reservoir. Vishwas, the food officer of Koylibeda block, had reached Kherkatta Paralkot reservoir on Sunday 21 May for a holiday.
During his trip to the area, he dropped his mobile phone worth Rs 96,000 in the reservoir while taking a selfie on the embankment. The Food Inspector immediately spoke to the SDO of Water Resources. It is alleged that Irrigation Department's SDO RL Dhiwar gave verbal approval to the Food Inspector to empty the water reservoir.
With the help of the local people, two pumps of 30 HP were for three days and lakhs of liters of water meant for irrigation purposes was taken out of the reservoir and wasted.
