2 cops booked on charges of extortion, corruption

Took bribe, promised to release us, but didn’t: Accused

FAKE COIN RACKET

A POLICE inspector, whose team busted a fake coin manufacturing unit in Outer Delhi’s Bawana Industrial Area last year, and his sub-inspector, have been booked on charges of extortion and under the Prevention of Corruption (POC) Act.

Two separate cases have been registered against Inspector Samarpal Singh and Sub-inspector Ram Kumar at Rohini district’s Prashant Vihar police station after an internal enquiry conducted by the vigilance branch substantiated the allegations of two arrested accused in the case, Naresh Kumar and Ravinder Kumar Chawala, who alleged that the two policemen took Rs 9 lakh and Rs 2 lakh from them respectively and assured them of their release.

DCP (Rohini) Rishi Pal confirmed that the two FIRS have been registered. Investigations into both the cases have been transferred to the Crime Branch.

Last year, Delhi Police had sealed a factory manufacturing fakecoinsafternabbinga42-yearold man in outer Delhi’s Rohini fromwhosepossessionfakecoins with a face value of Rs 40,000 were recovered. Later, police raided several units and arrested the kingpin — Swikaar Luthra.

The Indian Express had first reported that Inspector Singh was suspended after SI Kumar accused him of graft.

Sources said the first complaint against Inspector Samarpal Singh, who was the incharge of anti-auto theft squad (AATS), was filed by sub-inspector, Ram Kumar, who met Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order, northern range) S B K Singh and told him about the misconduct of his in-charge.

“A complaint against inspector Singh was made by one Naresh Kumar, who alleged that he was falsely implicated by Singh, who assaulted him in custody,” the sources said, adding that Kumar was arrested in connection with the fake coin racket.

Naresh Kumar alleged that they took him from his home to their office, where he was asked to take off his clothes in front of several people. “Singh asked him to give him Rs 25 lakh for his release, but when he refused, they assaulted him. They later questioned him about his land deal, following which he told police that Rs 9 lakh was deposited in his wife’s account. They then took him to his home in their car, asked him to call his wife, who was made to withdraw the money from her account,” sources said.

Naresh Kumar alleged that Singh took the entire sum of Rs 9 lakh from him. He also claimed that he was pressured by inspector Singh and his subordinates to get Rs 16 lakh, but when he refused, they arrested him.

“Naresh Kumar first met the Luthra brothers in 2012, when they came to his car accessories shop in Charkhi Dadri in Haryana posing as RBI officials. The brothers would give him fake coins, which he would distribute inexchangeforbiggernotesinthe market. After a few meetings, the duo told him who they really were, and he decided to work for them,”policesaidintheircasefile, accessed by The Indian Express.

After stepping out on bail, Naresh Kumar approached the public grievances cell of vigilance branch, where he recorded his statement against the police inspector. Following an internal enquiry, an FIR was registered against Inspector Singh under Sections 365 (abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person), 342 (illegal confinement, 384 (extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and section 7/13 of POC Act.

Sources said a fresh case was registered by one Ravinder Kumar Chawala against sub-inspector Ram Kumar. “SI Kumar detained Chawala and struck a deal with him. He asked Chawala to pay him Rs 2 lakh for his release. Chawala withdrew the amount from two ATMS and gave it to SI Kumar,” sources said.

Chawala claimed that SI R Kumar, after having a heated argument with Inspector Singh, told him to record a false statement in front of DCP M N Tiwari, saying that the money was given to Singh and not him.

Kumar had promised to release Chawala if he did what he asked of him. He then recorded a statement in front of Tiwari. But, instead of releasing him, they arrested him.

Acasehasbeenfiledunder sections of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act.