Constables or extortionists?

Businessmen complain that cops threatened them with fake cases, demanded money

As cops they are supposed to prevent crime and trading in stolen goods. But two Delhi police constables resorted to both to trap their victims and then extort money from them.


Representative pic

The incident came to light after twou00a0 businessmen who were victims of their criminal acts, complained to senior police officers. On January 31, leather merchant Meeraj Farooq was in his office at Nabi Karim when a youth approached him withu00a0 a cell phone. The youth told him that he had stolen a cell phone and Farooq could have it at cheap rate.

Farooq refused the deal and asked him to leave the office. But the youth fished out the cell phone began to display it to him. Before Farooq could understand what was happening, two policemen--- head constable Ashok and constable Kishan (who were in plain clothes at that time) ---posted with Nabi Karim police station reached there. On seeing them, the youth fled the spot but left the stolen phone with Farooq.u00a0

When the cops saw the stolen phone with him,u00a0 they beat him up, handcuffed him and took him to Nabi Karim police station. The cops then threatened Farooq that they will arrest him if he doesn't cough up Rs 30,000. In desperation, Farooq paid them Rs 17000 cash and was set free. Farooq suffered injuries on his ears and neck and is undergoing treatment in a city hospital.

The constables didn't stop there. On February 2,u00a0 they targeted Shahjad, an owner ofu00a0 footwear showroom in the area. They sent the same youth to Shahjad to sell him stolen mobile. As the youth fished out the cell phone, both Ashok and Kishan reached there and scolded Shahjad for purchasing stolen cell phone. They asked Shahjad to come police station.

Meanwhile, some friends of Shahjad gathered at the spot and asked the constables as to how they can claim that Shahjad was purchasing a stolen cell phone as no one had called police. Finding themselves surrounded by people, they said they had received a tip-off and wereu00a0 conducting a raid. Realising that people there were not convinced with their explanation, they ran way from there.

Both Farooq and Shahjad then approached senior police officers and gave a written complaint against the accused policemen.u00a0 Talking to MiD Day, deputy commissioner of the police, central district, Vivek Kishore said that he was aware of the incident. "We will take necessary action in this connection," he added.