Driven by debts, city SI pawns service revolver!

Hyderabad: A shocking breach of police protocol has rattled Hyderabad's law enforcement community, as Amberpet police Sub-Inspector Bhanu Prakash Reddy was suspended and arrested after allegedly pawning his service revolver and misappropriating gold recovered from a criminal case. The incident, which surfaced on Wednesday following an internal inquiry, has triggered a departmental investigation and widespread criticism over both the integrity and accountability within police ranks.

Sub-Inspector Bhanu Prakash, posted at Amberpet for the past year and a half, reportedly used his official position to divert recovered assets—a total of 43 grams (about five tolas) of gold seized during a theft case—and subsequently pawned these assets to cover heavy debts incurred from online betting. In a further violation, Bhanu Prakash's service revolver, assigned for departmental protection, also went missing. Authorities suspect the weapon may have been pawned to a local broker along with the gold, compounding the seriousness of the offence.

Departmental sources state that the police task force launched a criminal probe after the disappearance of both the gold and the revolver was discovered during routine record checks. When questioned, Bhanu Prakash failed to account for the missing items, raising red flags and prompting the investigation. Task Force officers took Bhanu Prakash into custody, with both the Amberpet police and special teams now trying to trace the missing service revolver and recover any pledged gold.

According to police officials, the entire operation is under detailed enquiry, and strict departmental action has already been initiated with an immediate suspension order. Criminal charges have been registered, and the case is being closely monitored by higher officials, as the incident has become a serious concern for the department’s image and public trust.

Preliminary findings point to Bhanu Prakash’s involvement in online betting, leading to substantial personal debts and ultimately forcing him to misuse departmental powers to pledge both gold and his official firearm. This gross misconduct, according to officials, tarnishes the police force's reputation and has led to calls for more effective monitoring and support mechanisms to prevent similar incidents in the future.