Three police officers have been suspended following allegations of illegal detention, physical assault, and systemic extortion targeting a Noida-based furniture businessman.
The actions were ordered after a swift internal investigation verified complaints filed by the victim, Shahid Choudhary, a resident of Gejha in Sector-93, Gautam Buddh Nagar.
The victim has submitted complete call detail records, bank statements, and video footprints to investigators to validate the criminal charges.
Following a direct mandate from DIG Kalanidhi Naithani, senior district officials moved quickly against the accused personnel. In Meerut, sub-inspector Ankit Sagar and head constable Neeraj Kumar, both posted at the Lisari Gate police station, were suspended with immediate effect by SSP BBGTS Murthy.
Simultaneously, Muzaffarnagar SSP Suraj Rai suspended sub-inspector Arif Ali, the outpost in-charge of Pamnavali under the Khatauli jurisdiction. A formal departmental inquiry against the Meerut policemen has been handed over to SP City Vinayak Gopal Bhosle, while CO Cyber Crime Saumya Asthana will oversee the broader investigation.
Furthermore, CO Kotwali Sangram Singh received an official final warning from the DIG for showing extreme negligence during the initial probe, where he reportedly concluded the inquiry without even speaking to the victim.
According to the official complaint, the businessman’s ordeal began in the guise of an official cyber investigation, which quickly escalated into coordinated extortion. The trouble originated from a prior incident where the bank account of Shahid’s wife was frozen under allegations of fraudulent use.
{{/usCountry}}According to the official complaint, the businessman’s ordeal began in the guise of an official cyber investigation, which quickly escalated into coordinated extortion. The trouble originated from a prior incident where the bank account of Shahid’s wife was frozen under allegations of fraudulent use.
{{/usCountry}}Sub-inspector Arif Ali, who was previously posted in Meerut, allegedly pressured the family and extorted ₹1 lakh from Shahid’s brother in exchange for unfreezing the account, a transaction Shahid claims is backed by video evidence.
The harassment intensified on August 2 when SI Ankit Sagar and Constable Neeraj Kumar summoned Shahid to the Lisari Gate police station based on a complaint by a youth named Danish. Shahid alleged that upon his arrival, he was illegally detained in a lockup, beaten up, and stripped of his iPhone, wrist watch, and leather belt.
To secure his release, the corrupt officers demanded heavy payouts from Shahid’s brothers, Sannavar and Jabir.
On August 4, the family was forced to transfer ₹1.20 lakh electronically to a civilian named Shadab Rao, followed by a cash delivery of ₹2.80 lakh. While the iPhone was returned upon receiving the money, the officers kept the watch and the belt.
The extortion did not stop there; the following day, the two Meerut policemen demanded a luxury sofa set, claiming it was for a senior officer. They sent photos of the sofa and digital payment instructions, forcing the victim to transfer an additional ₹72,000, split into two equal transactions of ₹36,000 to accounts under the names of Mohammad Imran and Sushila.
By August 7, Shadab Rao even sent an email to the victim detailing official bank correspondence to reactivate the account, confirming his deep involvement.
The investigation highlights a dangerous nexus between local police officers and unauthorised civilian intermediaries. Shahid’s complaint heavily implicates Shadab Rao, alias Shalu, who reportedly operates a Jan Suvidha Kendra directly opposite the Lisari Gate police station. Rao allegedly served as the financial conduit for the corrupt officers, processing bank transactions, coordinating frozen accounts, and handling the logistics of the illicit cash collection.
Meerut police confirmed that the officers were sidelined for misconduct with a cybercrime victim and for tarnishing the image of the police department.
DIG Kalanidhi Naithani reiterated that the administration is strictly enforcing the government’s zero-tolerance policy against administrative corruption. He clarified that any officer found leveraging their authority to extort citizens or manipulate banking freezes for personal gain will face severe departmental and legal consequences.