98 corrupt cops caught on tape, suspended

Sunday, April 06, 2008

New Delhi, India: The Delhi Traffic Police suspended 98 policemen filmed on video accepting bribes from Blueline bus operators.

The policemen were suspended after a vigilance department probe identified the policemen in the videotapes, in line with an order from the Delhi High Court.

Separately, departmental enquiries have been ordered against 10 traffic inspectors and they have been asked to explain why the men reporting to them openly accepted bribes.

Delhi Police spokesman Rajan Bhagat said 11 sub-inspectors (SI), 11 assistant sub-inspectors (ASI), 10 head constables and 66 constables have been suspended.

The policemen were filmed taking money in a sting operation carried out by Chetan Prakash — a west Delhi property dealer — after a Blueline bus owner approached him for help.

The sting was carried out at 23 traffic intersections between September 12 and December 2 last year. Hindustan Times first reported the case last year.

The shots were taken at Dabri-Janakpuri junction, Sagarpur, Lajwantipul, Gopinath, Polo Ground, Dhaula Kuan, Satya Niketan, Moti Bagh Pul, RK Puram, Bhikajikama Place, Safdarjung, AIIMS, South Extension, Andrews Gunj, Moolchand flyover, Lajpat Nagar, Maharani Bagh, Sarai Kale Khan, Jahangirpuri Bypass, Haiderpur Naher, Mangolpuri Piragarhi and Dwarka.

Prakash’s lawyer had told the court the extent of the areas involved clearly showed it was an organised extortion racket in Delhi, as every bus on any route had to pass at least one of the traffic intersections where the sting was carried out.

The High Court had asked the commissioner of police and the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct a probe in the case. This is not the first time Prakash conducted a sting operation and submitted it in the Delhi High Court.

Apart from the 98 traffic policemen, 59 policemen have been suspended in the last three years after Prakash filmed them taking bribe from bootleggers.

http://www.keralanext.com/India/read.asp?id=1207750