Pune, Nov 9 (TOI): A police sub-inspector and five policemen, who were part of an escort team that was bringing an under-trial gangster back to Yerawada Central Prison after a court hearing in Panvel, were suspended on Tuesday for partying with the gangster during their return journey on October 31.

The matter came to light when the jail authorities reported to the Pune police that the under-trial had reached the jail in an inebriated condition. Additional commissioner of police (administration) Sahebrao Patil issued the suspension order on Tuesday.

According to the order, sub-inspector Vijay Kadam, who is posted at Mundhwa police station, and five constables, all posted at the Shivajinagar police headquarters, had taken the undertrial gangster, Rupesh KrushnaraoMarne, to Panvel court for hearing of a case on October 31.

The ordered stated that there was prior information about the undertrial making an attempt to flee or that he may be attacked by rival gangsters. As such, the escort team was required to take due care and pay attention while taking Marne to the Panvel court and while bringing him back to the prison, it stated.

Also, policemen have been clearly instructed to ensure that while taking an undertrial to court and back to jail, they must ensure that the undertrial does not use a cellphone or provided outside food, the order stated.

After the court hearing, the escort party dropped Marne at the prison at 8.45pm on October 31 and while carrying out the entry formalities, the prison authorities realized that Marne was drunk. His breath analyzer test was conducted at the prison gates. The test turned out to be positive and the prison authorities made an entry to this effect with the Yerawada police station the same night.

During the inquiry, the escort party members were thoroughly questioned but none presented a satisfactory answer to the inquiry officer, the order stated.

A senior police officer told TOI, "The escort party members may have either halted at a hotel or partied with the gangster somewhere in their transit between Panvel and Pune."