Rs 3.5 lakh transferred to five cops’ accounts, finds probe

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15

An inquiry by the UT police, that has led to the suspension of five constables for allegedly taking a bribe from cops of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) to exempt them from duty, has revealed that around Rs 3.5 lakh was transferred to their bank accounts in nearly seven months.

The Police Department also transferred 22 cops to the Police Lines, Sector 26, after their names cropped up during the inquiry for allegedly paying money to get exemption from duty.

The five policemen, who have been suspended for allegedly taking the bribe from the cops of the IRB, are Rohit, Ravinder, Vikas, Paramjit Singh and Mohit Kumar. The probe found that around Rs 3.5 lakh was deposited in their accounts, assumed to be the money paid for getting exemption from duty.

The inquiry also revealed that the 22 others, who have been transferred to the Police Lines, had allegedly paid the money to get exemption from duty and in return they were marked present. Sources said the inquiry was still under way and the role of senior officers was also being probed.

Last year, the UT police had received an anonymous complaint alleging that a few constables used to collect money on behalf of a senior officer.

The complaint mentioned that police personnel posted in the IRB, who were residents of Chandigarh, were exempted from duty by paying Rs 7,000. In return, they were marked present. Similarly, police personnel from neighboring states, had to pay between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000.

The complaint also has names of police personnel posted at the IRB, who allegedly collected money from the IRB staff claiming that the same had to be given to a senior officer. The names of the cops missing from duty but marked present were mentioned in the complaint.

Acting on the complaint, the UT DGP had marked an inquiry into the matter to SP (Operations and Training) Ravi Kumar.