'Anti-government' samosa theft prompts India police probe

Missing samosas sparked a police probe in India with five officers facing disciplinary action for allegedly eating a plate of the savory treats intended for a senior politician, media reports said Friday.

Samosas -- pockets of meat or vegetable filling cooked inside a blanket of deep-fried pastry -- are a mainstay of Indian snack cuisine, served on train carriages and street corners around the country.

They are also a staple of government receptions, including one staged last month by police in Himachal Pradesh for an official visit by the northern state's chief minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

A special helping of samosas specially intended for Sukhu's relish instead allegedly found their way into the mouths of five police officers.

The resulting high-level enquiry culminated in a report by the state's Crime Investigation Department that dubbed the affair an "anti-government act".

"The report added that all personnel involved acted according to their own agenda, raising concerns about intentional misconduct," the Economic Times reported.

The Indian Express newspaper said the five police personnel accused of feasting on the chief minister's samosas had been served notices demanding they explain their conduct.

They were now in the process of recording their final statements before a senior officer expected to recommend strict disciplinary action.