Kochi: A sub-Inspector (SI) with the Kerala Police, accused of extorting several lakhs from a subordinate officer to avoid filing a theft case based on a spa employee’s complaint, has been suspended, police confirmed on Sunday.

The SI from the Palarivattom police station was suspended on Saturday while a departmental enquiry is underway, officers said.

The action followed a complaint by the subordinate officer, a Civil Police Officer (CPO), who had been accused by a spa employee of stealing her gold chain during a visit to the establishment.

Following her accusation, the SI had intervened in the matter and allegedly demanded money to make the accusation go away, police had said earlier.

The CPO allegedly paid around ₹4 lakh to the SI, according to the complaint, it had said.

Based on the CPO's complaint, a case for extortion was registered on Friday under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the woman, the SI and third accused -- a civilian -- who had threatened the CPO over the phone.

The third accused was subsequently arrested, police said on Sunday. The remaining two accused have not yet been arrested, it added.

PTI