Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday pledged strict action following the Rs 2.96 crore hawala loot in Seoni, as an FIR was registered against 11 police personnel, nine of whom have been taken into custody, including DSP Pooja Pandey.
Terming the incident a “breach of trust,” the Chief Minister emphasised that the police’s primary duty is to maintain law and order, ensure a crime-free environment, and protect citizens.
“The state government will not tolerate officers deviating from their responsibilities. Strict disciplinary and legal action will be taken against the guilty,” he said.
The incident occurred on the night of October 8-9 when businessman Sohanlal Parmar and his associate were intercepted by Pandey’s team while transporting hawala money from Katni to Maharashtra’s Jalna. Police officially recovered Rs 1.45 crore,
but the traders claimed Rs 1.51 crore remained unaccounted for after being threatened and released.
The case has been registered under Sections 310(2) (dacoity), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 140(3) (kidnapping), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following the exposure of the incident, all accused were immediately suspended under the directive of Director General of Police Kailash
Makwana, who ensured that the FIR was registered under the strictest provisions of the BNS, reflecting a zero-tolerance approach toward misconduct.
Chief Minister Yadav reiterated that the state government is committed to “good governance and the rule of law” and assured that all offenders, regardless of rank, will face stringent action.