In a major embarrassment for the Odisha police, three officials were detained on Friday on the charge of looting a businessman of Rs 1.5 lakh near the Nirgundi tollgate here on Thursday night.
The three cops are now being questioned at the Tangi police station.
The trio was identified as Constable Jogendra Pani and Home Guards Braja Kishore Panda and Santosh Mallick of the Tangi police station. The trio posing as personnel of the Commissionerate police special squad intercepted a car for frisking near Nirgundi Toll Gate. The car was heading to Bhubaneswar to Chandikhole.
The three cops snatched the cash from the vehicle and fled from the spot. The incident came to light after the victim arrived at the Tangi police station and spotted one of the accused Brjakishore there. But the accused cops forced him to settle the matter mutually and sent back without registering an FIR.
After the matter came to the notice of Choudwar SDPO and Cuttack SP (Rural) they took suo-motu cognisance and detained the trio.