The Madhya Pradesh Congress has expelled a party functionary who was arrested in connection with the death of a police officer during an operation against an alleged illicit liquor smuggling network in Dewas — in an attempt to distance itself from the controversy that has put the opposition party in the state on the defensive.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee said Rahul Jaiswal, a functionary from Harda, has been relieved of all party positions and expelled from its primary membership with immediate effect on the directions of state Congress president Jitu Patwari.

The letter, issued by organisational general secretary Dr Sanjay Kamle, described the incident involving Khategaon police station in-charge Dilip Puri , who was run over by a truck suspected of transporting illicit liquor, as reprehensible.

The letter said Jaiswal had been taken into police custody on suspicion of involvement in the incident and that a case had been registered against him.…