SHO, ASI of Delhi east cyber police station for demanding ₹2 lakh bribe

The station house officer (SHO) and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the east district cyber police station were suspended and a departmental inquiry initiated against them for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹2 lakh from a man to settle a complaint against him by his wife, the Delhi Police said on Monday

The station house officer (SHO) and assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of the east district cyber police station were suspended and a departmental inquiry initiated against them for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹2 lakh from a man to settle a complaint against him by his wife, the Delhi Police said on Monday.

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A case of extortion, threatening and criminal conspiracy, apart from corruption has been registered against them under Indian Penal Code sections 384, 385, 120B and section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption (POC) Act at the Pandav Nagar police station, officers privy to the matter said.

This is the second incident of a cyber police station SHO being suspended this month. In the first week of July, the SHO of south-west district’s cyber police station and two inspectors were suspended on charges of de-freezing the bank account of a resident of Maharashtra, after allegedly taking money to do so, police said.

In the present case, the man complained to the east district police that the SHO and the ASI of the cyber police station visited his house to investigate a complaint given by his wife and they demanded ₹2 lakh from him to settle the matter, said deputy commissioner of police (east) Priyanka Kashyap.

A second police officer associated with the case said the man’s wife, who lives separately, had accused him of hacking her email and social media accounts and posting objectionable content to malign her. A case was registered under relevant sections of the Information Technology (IT) Act on her complaint and the cyber police station was asked to probe it.

The man in his complaint said the SHO and the ASI came in plainclothes and took ₹20,000 from him and asked him to visit the police station. When he went there, the two demanded ₹2 lakh from him. The man recorded the conversation and submitted the recording as well as his complaint to the east district police, the officer said.

“An inquiry was conducted by the assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of the district’s public grievance (PG) cell and the allegations were substantiated. Accordingly, a case was registered and investigation is on. Both the officers involved have been suspended and further department action is being initiated,” added DCP Kashyap.