Inquiry Reveals Blackmail, Action taken 3 Years after the Incident
Indore: In a significant development in the Indore TI suicide case, the Madhya Pradesh government has dismissed Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ranjana Khode after a departmental inquiry revealed her involvement in blackmailing TI Hakim Singh Panwar. Ranjana, who was posted in Dhar district at the time of her dismissal, faced serious allegations that compromised the integrity of the police force.
The incident, which occurred in June 2022 at Indore’s Regal police control room, involved TI Hakim Singh shooting Ranjana with his service revolver before turning the gun on himself. Ranjana survived with a graze near her ear, while TI Panwar tragically lost his life. Following the incident, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Although the SIT initially found Ranjana guilty and imposed a penalty by halting one increment, Police Commissioner Santosh Singh sought a more thorough investigation.
The re-investigation led by Additional Police Commissioner RK Singh uncovered a relationship between Ranjana and Hakim Singh, revealing that Ranjana had been blackmailing him, which tarnished the police department’s reputation. In addition to her dismissal, Ranjana faced legal repercussions, including arrest on charges of blackmail, though she was released on bail within a week.
Compounding the tragedy, Ranjana’s brother died from burns shortly after the incident, reportedly suffering from severe depression due to the stress surrounding the case.
