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Asked to pay for food at dhaba, three Etah cops send 10 to jail; Booked, suspended
The Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday suspended three policemen for framing and arresting 10 people, including eight customers and two kin of owner of a roadside ‘dhaba’ on Agra–Etah road, where two of them got involved in a squabble over payment of bill of the food they ate on February 4
The Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday suspended three policemen for framing and arresting 10 people, including eight customers and two kin of owner of a roadside ‘dhaba’ on Agra–Etah road, where two of them got involved in a squabble over payment of bill of the food they ate on February 4.
While directing to register a case against three cops, the additional director general (ADG) Agra zone Rajeev Krishna also ordered a probe into serious allegations against them.
Sources said two cops, Santosh Kumar and Shailendra Yadav, from Kotwali Rural police station in Etah refused to pay for the food they had consumed at an eatery, leading to an argument.
Later, they together with incharge of Kotwali Dehat police station Indreshpal Singh, allegedly filed a fake case against 10 people and arrested them.
The dhaba is run by Praveen Kumar, a physically challenged man, with the help from his brothers Pushpendra Kumar and Deepak Kumar.
“Two cops came to have food at dhaba on the night of February 4 but were not prepared to pay for the food they ate. They had heated arguments with us and other customers who asked cops to pay at least the nominal charge, but they instead threatened to send them all to jail,” said Kumar in his complaint..
“Later, they returned with more cops and took into custody ten men from the dhaba.
They were taken to Kotwali Dehat and booked in a false case of a gang planning loot.
All 10 people are still in jail, alleged Kumar, in a complaint submitted to Etah district magistrate Dr Vibha Chahal. .
The police also claimed that the arrested persons were nabbed after an encounter. They also showed recovery of illicit liquor from their possession.
Two of the cops also allegedly sought bribe to release the arrested persons.
After the complaint was lodged, matter came into limelight and ADG Krishna took cognizance of it.
“There were serious allegations labeled in the complaint regarding the incident that took place on February 4,” said Krishna, AD (Agra zone)
“The probe was conducted by SP (crime) at Etah, and prima facie allegations made by the complainant were found true. Incharge of Kotwali Dehat Indreshpal Singh and constables Santosh Kumar and Shailendra Yadav have been booked. Besides, they have also been suspended,” said Krishna.
‘’To ensure fair probe, the case is being registered in Aligarh,” said Krishna.
Indreshpal Singh was already suspended on March 11 after liquor recovered in a case went missing from the police station.
IG, Aligarh range, Piyush Mordia, meanwhile has asked SP Kasganj to get the preliminary inquiry done and submit report within 10 days in the case related to 10 persons who are in jail for no fault of theirs.
