Dubai cop dragged along road as bootlegger tries to escape

dubai — A policeman in Dubai was dragged along the road for some distance as a bootlegger drove his car off to evade arrest, a court heard on Wednesday. The Court of First Instance was told the 26-year-old Indian man, who works as a salesman, was caught with a large quantity of alcohol.

At the time of his arrest, he behaved “aggressively” towards the police corporal and did not follow instructions. He drove his car off as the officer was still in the process of handcuffing him. The policeman sustained injuries as he was dragged along the road.

The police found 56 bottles of whiskey and 84 cans of beer in the defendant’s possession. He was allegedly planning to sell these illegally.

He pleaded not guilty in court to a charge of assaulting an on-duty police officer. However, he admitted that he possessed alcoholic drinks with the intention to sell.

He was taken into custody by the Jebel Ali police on August 6.

The police corporal said he was patrolling an area in Jebel Ali along with a colleague when they spotted a car. “We had the driver stop the car. The man with him jumped off and fled the place.”

The officer recounted how he had just put the cuffs on the driver’s left hand, when he drove off.

“I slipped and was dragged for a short distance as I was still holding the cuffs. He drove for 100 metres before the car crashed into a metal barrier. “My colleague called for back-up and the accused, who was still handcuffed, was apprehended shortly later,” the officer told the prosecutor.

A medical report showed the police corporal was left with a swollen arm and an injury.

The other cop corroborated the corporal’s testimony during the public prosecution investigation. He told the prosecutor how his colleague was dragged for a few metres and had to let go of the handcuffs after he got injured.

A ruling will be pronounced on October 14.