Cops take 'bribe' from builder to evict woman from her house

The night of June 29 was probably the worst 65-year-old Sneh Lata had experienced in her life. The senior citizen was at her Paharganj house when at 8:30pm, she claimed, two men came to her house and said they were the owners. Faizan Haider reports.

The night of June 29 was probably the worst 65-year-old Sneh Lata had experienced in her life. The senior citizen was at her Paharganj house when at 8:30pm, she claimed, two men came to her house and said they were the owners.

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She had been living in the same house since Independence, paying rent to its Jaipur-based owner.

"They misbehaved with me and beat up my son. When local SHO Bijender Singh did not help us despite seeking police help, I approached the joint commissioner of police, who assured full assistance," she said.

She had to be hospitalised after the failed eviction bid. An inquiry was ordered into the case after the senior citizen's complaint.

One of the men who had forcefully entered her house was questioned and what he revealed shocked the investigators.

A senior police officer said, "He told us that the local SHO had assured him that he would get the house vacated if they paid him Rs. 5 lakh. They had paid him Rs. 50,000 in advance."

Internal police inquiry also revealed that SHO Bijender Singh had promised the builder to get the house vacated for
Rs. 5 lakh.

"But when the SHO failed to get the house vacated, they asked him to return the advance money. When he didn't, they also filed a complaint against the SHO," the officer added.

The inquiry team has also taken the statements of the senior citizen, her family members and of a neighbour who had witnessed the whole drama.

"This is a clear case of land grabbing and the local police had conspired with the accused. I have also filed a complaint with the police but surprisingly no FIR has been registered so far," said Gurdeep Singh, president of the local residents' welfare association.

Police said action against the SHO would be taken after completion of the inquiry.