BHOPAL: Cops from Malhargarh police station in western Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur district had reportedly kidnapped an 18-year-old student in August 2025 and then arrested him in a fake case of opium smuggling.

The revelations came to the fore on Tuesday during the hearing of the petition filed by Sohan’s family in the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Indore Bench – four months after the illegal arrest and framing of the teenager in the false case related to seizure of 2.7 kg opium.

Contrary to earlier statements of Mandsaur authorities about no foul play in the matter which as per them was a major narcotics seizure related arrest, the present Mandsaur district police superintendent Vinod Kumar Meena admitted before the HC’s division bench in Indore on Tuesday, that the FIR didn’t match the actual time and location, which were already captured in the video.

The SP Mandsaur further submitted before the HC that the entire operation was led by a head constable of Malhargarh police and the case was registered against the teenager while he was already in illegal custody. Also, the probe by Malhargarh police wasn’t carried out in pursuance of due legal procedure.

The Mandsaur district police chief further confirmed to the HC that the cops seen boarding the bus (from which the teenager was picked) were actually staff of Malhargarh police station – a submission which was contrary to the earlier statements of the cops in Mandsaur district in which those plain-clothed cops were disowned as Malhargarh police station staff.

The SP-Mandsaur Vinod Kumar Meena further informed the court that six cops, including those who dragged Sohan out of the bus, have been suspended and a departmental inquiry instituted against them.

As the High Court has reserved its order in the matter, legal experts expect stern action in the matter.