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 | | UN-HOLI MESS: A camera phone caught the officials drinking and dancing inside their office; (and Below) Whiskey bottles on an education official’s table | | |  |
Three officials of the education department extorted money from teachers and had the time of their lives, but they were out of their jobs the next day.
They took advantage of an extended Holi weekend and blackmailed teachers into fetching them food and booze. They then drank and danced to their hearts’ content.
Senior superintendent Raviraj, executive officer Ismail Shinde, physical education director Dileep and attender Khalid began by spraying colours, but soon decided that wasn’t enough.
They had allegedly collected Rs 200 from each teacher for the celebrations.
For their private party, they caught hold of a teacher in Bidar who had not contributed to the Holi kitty.
Royal Stag only
They phoned him and asked him to fetch three bottles of Royal Stag whiskey and vegetarian and non-vegetarian snacks. They also demanded five packs of premium cigarettes.
The hapless teacher bought whatever they had ordered. Once the booze ran out, the officers called him again, asking for more.
They threatened to transfer him far away if he did not fetch a second round of booze. The teacher made another trip to the liquor store. The officers allegedly made merry in the chambers of the deputy director of public instruction.
Idea clicked
But while they were busy getting high, someone quietly clicked pictures on a camera phone and sent them to their bosses.
Bidar deputy commissioner Harsha Gupta then ordered zilla panchayat CEO Dr Prakash to investigate. Prakash suspended all four on Tuesday and ordered a departmental inquiry.
“I have seen the photographs. They have behaved badly. I noticed liquor bottles and cigarettes inside the DDPI’s chambers,” Dr Prakash told MiD DAY.
Senior officials will also look into whether the education employees violated rules by collecting money from teachers.
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