5 Delhi cops booked for taking ₹2 L bribe to ‘settle’ criminal case

Delhi Police booked 5 personnel, including a woman sub-inspector, for taking ₹2 lakh bribe in a molestation case settlement. Case filed under Prevention of Corruption Act.

Delhi Police on Thursday said it has booked five of its personnel, including a woman sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector, for allegedly taking a bribe of ₹2 lakh from the relative of an accused in a molestation case in return for settling the case.

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A senior police officer aware of the matter said that a case under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (for accepting bribes) was registered on Tuesday by the vigilance department of the Delhi Police.

“The complaint was submitted against five police personnel out of whom three have been named by the victim. The list includes a sub-inspector, an assistant sub-inspector, a head constable and two others who were posted at the Mohan Garden police station in Dwarka in 2023,” the officer said.

According to the FIR, seen by HT, the victim, a 42-year-old resident of Sundar Nagri and fish trader by profession, said that the SI took a bribe of ₹2 lakh while the other male personnel entered his house and abused the women at home. He also alleged that one of them pushed his daughter and relieved himself in the washroom with the door open even as his daughter stood outside. They also kicked some religious books, the FIR said.

According to details of the complaint, the incident dates back to June 2023, when a woman filed a complaint against the victim’s relative for molestation at Mohan Garden police station.

“The SI said that if we wanted to resolve the matter, it would cost us ₹2 lakh and she would close it in our favour,” the victim alleged.

After taking the money, the SI asked the victim to sign a letter of compromise, assuring him of getting the matter settled by getting a similar letter signed by the woman complainant. However, the letter was never provided.

On June 22, four policemen from Mohan Garden police station visited the victim’s house and harassed his family. “One of the personnel relieved himself... came out with his pants still down... they pushed my daughter and kicked our religious books,” he said.

A second officer aware of the matter said that after the complaint was submitted to the vigilance department in July 2023 they conducted an inquiry and the allegations were substantiated. “As per procedure, the district deputy commissioner’s approval was sought and a case was registered,” the officer said.