Panchkula, October 5
The Vigilance Bureau has booked an Assistant Sub-Inspector, posted at the Sector 20 police station, under the Prevention of Corruption Act for demanding bribe.
The Station House Officer, Sukhwinder, is also under the scanner as his name has cropped up in an audio recording by the complainant.
The police said Kaithal district resident Harsh Kumar, in a complaint on August 24, claimed his younger brother was duped of Rs 3.39 lakh. The complaint was marked to ASI Lajwanti. The complainant claimed they caught one of the suspects, Dipanshu, a Sector 10 resident, and handed him over to the ASI. The cop allegedly offered to get Rs 2 lakh back from Dipanshu and recover the rest of the amount from the other accused later.
Dipanshu later transferred Rs 1.25 lakh to the account of complainant’s friend Jitender Kumar through Google Pay, saying he would give a cheque for the rest of the amount in 10 days. The complainant, however, insisted on getting the entire amount, following which the accused further transferred Rs 75,000 to Jitender’s account.
The complainant subsequently urged the ASI to register an FIR for further action, but the officer allegedly demanded a cut of Rs 10,000, of which Rs 5,000 was paid. However, even after 23 days, no case was registered.
The complainant wrote to the Panchkula DCP’s office on September 19 and the complaint was further marked to the Sector 20 police station. The ASI was again appointed investigation officer.
On September 24, the complainant got a WhatsApp call from the ASI saying SHO Sukhwinder, who was also probing the matter, was demanding Rs 50,000 to register an FIR. Harsh later recorded a call made to the ASI in which he urged her to reduce the amount, but she refused. He then agreed to give Rs 25,000 upfront and the rest once an FIR was registered and accused arrested.
Lajwanti, however, further demanded Rs 30,000 once the remaining amount was recovered from the accused. The complainant then approached the Vigilance with the recording, following which a case was registered against the ASI.
