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Dy SP Rishikant Shukla under cloud, ADG to lead departmental probe
A probe by an SIT into an extortion racket in Kanpur had resulted in the suspension of Rishikant Shukla, 57, on Monday over allegations of amassing assets worth in excess of ₹100 crore.
Taking a stern note of the allegations against suspended deputy superintendent of police (Dy SP) Rishikant Shukla, the state government has handed over the departmental inquiry against him to a senior Indian Police Service officer of additional director general (ADG)-rank, senior police officials said here on Wednesday.
A probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into an extortion racket in Kanpur had resulted in the suspension of Rishikant Shukla, 57, on Monday over allegations of amassing assets worth in excess of ₹100 crore.
During the departmental inquiry, the allegations against Shukla will be thoroughly investigated, the officials said.
Director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna confirmed that ADG, Bareilly, Ramit Sharma, a 1999-batch IPS officer, has been tasked with ensuring a fair and impartial departmental probe into the matter.
“The departmental inquiry will aim to determine whether Shukla’s assets were acquired through legitimate means, or if they are indeed disproportionate to his income,” the DGP said.
“If the inquiry finds Shukla guilty, he may face disciplinary action, including dismissal, or even prosecution,” another police official said.
Shukla has denied all allegations against him in a purported video. He stated former Kanpur commissioner of police (CP) Akhil Kumar, who had sent a report against him to the state government, mentioned these allegations supposedly after being misguided by some people against whom he had taken action in the past.
A government order from the Uttar Pradesh home department dated November 3 has also directed a vigilance probe against Shukla, who is currently posted in Bhogaon, Mainpuri, but who was posted in Kanpur for over a decade till 2009.
The SIT pointed to the role of a lawyer in Kanpur, Akhilesh Dubey, who operated a network that had close connections with police officials and bureaucrats in the Kanpur Development Authority, and which extorted money by allegedly filing false police complaints and forcibly occupying land.
The SIT probe further pointed to the role of Shukla, who had joined the police force as a sub-inspector in 1998, become friendly with Dubey, and even become his partner in some real estate ventures.
According to the SIT, Dubey himself had built a criminal empire of around ₹1,500 crore through a network of shell companies and benami properties. His modus operandi , it added, involved filing false rape cases against businessmen and politicians, to extort money from them. Dubey is currently lodged in Kanpur district jail in connection with five criminal cases.
Government officials familiar with the matter claimed that the investigation into the Dubey case has pointed to the role of several other police officers and businessmen, although HT couldn’t independently verify this.
The officials, who asked not to be named, said the roles of two more deputy superintendents of police and two inspectors, posted in Kanpur, are also under investigation. Excluding Dubey, 11 police personnel were suspended two months ago for having links with Dubey.
