Two months after an Ambala-based liquor contractor filed a complaint against seven cops, four of them including an ex-SHO were booked on charges of extortion and corruption in Yamunanagar on Tuesday.
They were identified as inspector Ramphal, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Jitender, exempted assistant sub-inspectors (EASIs) Surender Kumar and Praveen Kumar.
Ramphal, who was the former station in-charge, is currently posted at state vigilance bureau, Karnal, while the other three are deputed at Sadhaura police station.
Superintendent of police (SP) Mohit Handa said, “We have intimated the bureau about the inspector currently on deputation with them and the three other cops have been line attached. An SIT under DSP (Radaur) Rajat Gulia has been constituted to probe the matter.”
In his complaint to the chief minister, home minister, chief secretary and ADGP Ambala Range on May 31, contractor Naresh Kumar, who has a liquor licence in several villages of Sadhaura sub-division, said the cops have been seeking money and expensive liquor, and threatening to implicate him in false cases for not fulfilling the demand, thereby putting him under immense “mental and financial pressure”.
“Jitender used to take a box of alcohol and some amount every month, while Surender habitually asked for liquor. Praveen Kumar used to take a hefty extortion every month in the name of SHO Ramphal. On May 17, Praveen told me that the SHO has been replaced with Dinesh Kumar and demanded more money, but I refused,” Naresh said in his complaint.
{{/usCountry}}“Jitender used to take a box of alcohol and some amount every month, while Surender habitually asked for liquor. Praveen Kumar used to take a hefty extortion every month in the name of SHO Ramphal. On May 17, Praveen told me that the SHO has been replaced with Dinesh Kumar and demanded more money, but I refused,” Naresh said in his complaint.
{{/usCountry}}He further said, “Soon, Dinesh came to our liquor vend and threatened me for not paying the money. They told me that five of them along with head constable Balbir and ASI Mukesh have a stronghold over the region. I’ve all their call recordings and other evidence to support my claims.”
Following the complaint, a preliminary inquiry was conducted by DSP (Bilaspur) Aashish Chaudhary, who submitted his report to Handa on June 26.
In his report, Chaudhary said, “It was found that inspector Dinesh Kumar, HC Balbir and ASI Mukesh are innocent. There are call recordings between the four other cops and the complainant, but this could only be proved through voice sampling. The complainant hasn’t been able to specify the date and time of the evidence.”
DSP Gulia said the total amount paid by the complainant is still unclear. In a similar case, four police personnel of the same police station were booked and suspended for bribery, extortion and wrongful confinement of five men in May. They had allegedly extorted lakhs of rupees from the men. The matter remains under investigation.
Kaithal cop suspended for extortion
Karnal: A constable deployed with Kaithal police was suspended for allegedly extorting money from gamblers. He was suspended following an inquiry by the DSP in a case registered at Kaithal city police station. Superintendent of police Maqsood Ahmed said people involved in gambling had alleged that constable Dinesh used to extort money from them.