Chandigarh Police head constable suspended on extortion charges
Pawan was suspended after a preliminary investigation report termed his behaviour “suspicious”; action came on a liquor contractor’s complaint that was accompanied by a video clip showing Pawan and his colleague, Anil.
Probing into a liquor contractor’s allegations of extortion by two cops posted in its crime branch, the Chandigarh Police on Tuesday suspended one of the two head constables.
Pawan was suspended after a preliminary investigation report termed his behaviour “suspicious”. He has been sent to the police lines, while the probe continues and will be summoned for questioning.
The action came nine days after a liquor contractor submitted a video clip, accusing two cops of extorting Rs 96,000 per month for the past few months for the eight liquor vends he operated in the city.
Following his complaint, a case under Section 383 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 13 (1) the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered at the Sector 39 police station against unidentified persons on November 29.
Later, the clip helped the police identify the police personnel as head constables Pawan and Anil. However, it did not show any money being exchanged.
“Pawan was suspended after we received a communication from the investigation officer that his behaviour appeared suspicious. His role is being probed further,” said superintendent of police (SP) Manoj Kumar Meena.
SIT formed
Meanwhile, police have constituted a special investigation team, comprising two station house officers and two sub-inspectors, who will be working under the supervision of assistant superintendent of police (ASP, South) Shruti Arora.
“So far, the role of head constable Pawan has emerged with regards to the complaint and further investigation is on to establish Anil’s involvement,” said ASP Arora.
Apart from this case, police say four more liquor contractors had also approached them alleging extortion. However, they had not provided any evidence and their complaints were being verified.
One December 2, a ghee supplier from Haryana’s Barwala had alleged extortion by crime branch cops. He had accused the police of taking Rs 18,000 from his pocket and asking for another Rs 3.7 lakh to get his ghee samples passed.
Before this, on November 26, inspector Ranjit Singh, of the operations wing of Chandigarh Police, was transferred to police lines after an inquiry began against him into a complaint by a liquor contractor of Rs 2.5-lakh extortion.
