Constable extorted ₹17.5k from man driving with tinted glasses

— this is what a Punjab resident paid for using black window panes on his car.

A Delhi police cop who allegedly forced a businessman from Punjab to pay a penalty of more than 1,700 times the right charge for the traffic violation has been suspended. An FIR of extortion was registered against him.

Investigation revealed that the constable is presently in jail. Within days of extorting from the Punjab resident, the cop had extorted money similarly in south-west Delhi. Though he was posted in PCR, the cop posed as a traffic cop in Delhi Cantonment and in third week of April he took ₹3,000 from a Ghaziabad resident for jumping a signal.

The fine for using tinted glasses is ₹100 and if caught for the second time, the penalty is ₹300.

Following an inquiry, the IP estate police on Friday registered a case of extortion when inquiry proceedings confirmed the constable had pocketed the money. The enquiry revealed that when the constable committed the offence, he was posted in the police control room and not the traffic unit.

Police sources said that in April, businessman Harminder Singh visiting Delhi was stopped by a constable for using tinted glasses on his vehicle.

Singh in his complaint told a senior officer that the constable, who was wearing a traffic cop uniform, followed him for a few kilometres before stopping his bike in front of their Scorpio car.

Singh had reached Mata Sundari road when his car was stopped. The cop told Singh that using tinted glasses was an offence and alleged Singh had hit two motorcycle riders. Singh reportedly asked the cop to show him a complaint or evidence that the motorcyclists were injured.

According to the man’s allegations, the constable accused him of using tinted glasses and asked for a fine of ₹50,000. He reportedly told the constable to issue him a court challan so that the fine would be paid in court. The constable reportedly refused and insisted that Singh use his ATM card to withdraw money and pay the fine.

“Singh and his friends had around ₹17,500 cash that day. They paid that money and left,” said an investigating officer.

Singh later informed a senior police officer about the incident.