The team had travelled to Ahmedabad on June 2 to secure the custody of one Bhavesh Dabhi from the Sabarmati Central Jail on a transfer warrant. (Representational Photo)
A POLICE sub-inspector (PSI), three constables and a civilian were shifted to a quarantine facility after an alleged bootlegger — whose custody they had taken from Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad — tested positive for Covid-19 late on June 2.
Aslam Ansari, a PSI with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Rajkot city police, and three constables — Anilsinh Gohil, Pradeepsinh Gohil and Krushnasinh Jhala — were shifted to a private hotel, which offers self-isolation services, on Wednesday. A civilian who had accompanied the police team to Ahmedabad was also quarantined.
The team had travelled to Ahmedabad on June 2 to secure the custody of one Bhavesh Dabhi from the Sabarmati Central Jail on a transfer warrant.
Ansari said that Dabhi, a resident of Mada Dungar area in Rajkot city, was wanted in connection with the seizure of 534 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from Thebachda village on the outskirts of Rajkot city, around three-and-a-half month ago. He was lodged at Sabarmati Central Jail after being detained under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA).
“We took his custody from Sabarmati jail and returned to Rajkot. We took Dabhi to PDU Hospital in Rajkot for the mandatory Covid-19 testing before arresting him. Around 10 pm on June 2, we got his test results which returned positive for Covid-19. So, we were directed to remain in quarantine as a precautionary measure,” said Ansari, who is investigating officer of the liquor haul case.
The PSI said that Dabhi was asymptomatic when they first took his custody. “We enquired with the prison authorities, if they conduct Covid-19 tests on inmates before releasing them and they said no. I suspect the accused contracted the virus from that jail,” Ansari said. He added that Dabhi has been admitted to PDU Hospital, popularly known as Rajkot Civil Hospital.
This is the second instance when a team of Rajkot city police have been quarantined after coming in close contact with an accused who tested positive. Seven staff members have been in a quarantine facility for the past week after an alleged woman bootlegger tested positive for Covid-19.