Five officers of the Telangana Police were suspended by the state government on Thursday for alleged links with Maoist-turned-gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin. The criminal, wanted in several murder, land-grabbing and extortion cases, had been killed in a police encounter in Mahabubnagar district in August 2016.

Two inspectors and two assistant commissioners of police were among those suspended. The fifth, Maddipati Srinivas Rao, is an officer of the rank of additional superintendent of police. Another deputy superintendent of police, three inspectors and 16 other officers are also been investigated for alleged links with Nayeemuddin.

The suspension order was issued by Director General of Police Anurag Sharma, the IANS said.

Nayeemuddin had also been wanted for the murder of an Indian Police Service officer in 1993. After being expelled from the People’s War Group, he became an informer for the police and helped them eliminate several Maoists.