LUCKNOW, Dec. 6 -- The UP Police's Anti-Corruption Organisation (ACO) has lodged a case against five policemen, including the then in-charge of Banthra police station, for framing a Lucknow trader and seven others in a theft and forgery case five years ago to 'show their good work'. Following its probe into the incident, the ACO lodged an FIR on Wednesday (December 3) against the then Banthra inspector in-charge Prahlad Singh, senior sub-inspector Dinesh Kumar, sub-inspectors Santosh Kumar, Alok Kumar Srivastava and Rajesh Kumar under serious criminal sections. Four of the five accused are currently posted in Bahraich while SI Alok Kumar Srivastava is posted in Lucknow Reserve Police Lines. Lucknow deputy commissioner of police, South, Nipun Aggarwal said a case has been registered. He said S-I Alok Kumar Srivastava is expected to face suspension after an internal report is submitted while the investigation details have been shared with the Bahraich SP for action against four others posted there now. A senior ACO official confirmed that ACO inspector Nurul Huda Khan lodged an FIR at PGI police station after the probe confirmed that the case against a steel trader and others was built on forged evidence. "In the case, Banthra police had booked trader Vikas Gupta, carrier vehicle driver Darshan Lal and six others for alleged theft and forgery," the official said. Inconsistencies in the case prompted authorities to hand over the matter to the Anti-Corruption Organisation on October 18, 2022. After three years of scrutiny, investigators concluded that the entire operation was scripted, stated the official. He said on December 31, 2020, S-I Santosh Kumar claimed he intercepted a "deal of stolen iron rods" near Junabganj Baba ka Dhaba. He said Gupta and Darshan were arrested on the spot, while six others were shown absconding. He said the police further alleged that a half-loaded mini truck was found with stolen steel, and the duo "confessed" to purchasing it from the absconders. "Investigation has now established that no such theft was committed and no such confession was legally recorded. Instead, officers allegedly fabricated statements, planted evidence and constructed a narrative that Gupta was buying stolen iron rods cheaply and selling them at higher prices in his shop. The police touted the arrests as a major achievement and even secured official praise the next day," the official said. "Based solely on coerced or fabricated statements, the police then implicated four more individuals, Lalta Singh, former BDC member, his son Kaushalendra Singh, Satish Singh and Kallu Gupta. In 2022, police even arrested Lalta and Kallu, who were sent to jail on the basis of concocted statements," he added....