Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 9 (PTI) A Kerala police officer, accused in several criminal cases, was dismissed from the service on Monday.

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Invoking Section 86 of the Kerala Police Act for the first time, State Police Chief Anil Kant ordered removal of P R Sunu, suspended SHO of Beypore Police Station, for "bad character."

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The section lays down the conditions, which includes being accused of criminal offences, for termination from the force.

The move comes in the wake of a strong directive from the State government to take action 'against criminals' in the police, a statement issued by the State Police Media Cell said.

Sunu is an accused in four criminal cases, including that of rape, and has also faced departmental action over 10 times.

The Station House Officer was suspended in November last year based on a report filed by the Ernakulam City Police Commissioner C H Nagaraju stating that Sunu has connections with allegedly undesirable elements.

Thrikkakara Police, in Ernakulam District, had late last year registered a rape case against Sunu and others on a complaint by a woman and had taken him into custody.

However, no arrest was recorded due to lack of evidence against him, police had said back then.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)