Mangaluru: A viral pic of a policeman sitting with a liquor bottle within the Beltangady police station premises had been circulated with an intention to defame the constable, revealed preliminary investigations conducted by Dakshina Kannada superintendent of police (SP) Sudheer Kumar Reddy.

The picture, taken on October 11 suggested that the head constable Honnappa Gowda was drinking while on duty at his workplace.

However, according to the investigation it is now learnt that Honappa Gowda had neither brought the bottle to the premises nor consumed alcohol. Rather it was another constable Nicolas who had brought the bottle to the station while on his way back home since it was his birthday and had placed it on the table where Gowda was sitting and the photo had been clicked then.

A constable named Danny sourced this particular photo and posted it on social media deliberately to defame innocent target.

Meanwhile, the SP has said that disciplinary action will be initiated against both constables – Danny and Nicolas after the inquiry.