Bus owner’s sting catches traffic cops taking ‘bribe’

Tomar submitted recordings of his sting operation as “evidence” to the Crime Branch,which registered an FIR on November 17 based on his complaint. The Crime Branch is investigating the accusations made against the traffic policemen,an officer said. In the FIR,Tomar said he gave in to the extortion on a few occasions since he wanted his buses to run on time,and without hassle.

The first sting
According to the complaint,officials of Seelampur traffic circle threatened him on August 2,saying his buses would not be allowed to operate after he refused to pay the monthly bribe. According to him,the area traffic inspector (name withheld) subsequently told him he would have to cough up Rs 1,000 per RTV bus,Rs 1,000 for the zonal officer,and a further Rs 100 to Rs 200 for constables and head constables per bus.

“I told them it was not possible for me to pay,” Tomar said in his complaint.

According to the FIR,Tomar then approached one Rajbir Bansal,who runs a local newspaper in the neighbourhood,and was advised to conduct a sting operation showing the cops accepting bribe. Tomar claims he took one of Bansal’s employees,identified as Rohit,to handle the camera during the sting.

According to the complainant,the two conducted a sting on cops at five points in the circle: Khajuri Khas,Wazirabad bridge,Bhajanpura intersection,Brijpuri and Usmanpur.

Tomar claims they photographed two zonal officers purportedly taking Rs 1,000 each,a constable taking Rs 100 and another Rs 200.

In his complaint,Tomar said he handed over the tapes to Bansal but the latter,instead of publishing the report in his newspaper as promised,denied any such sting was ever conducted.

The second sting
After a constable allegedly came to his house and threatened to kill him,Tomar claims he conducted another sting on his mobile phone: he captured the same traffic officials talking to him,threatening him and purportedly asking for money.

All this occurred between August and November this year. Tomar then submitted recordings of the conversations to the Crime Branch as evidence.

Confirming the FIR,DCP (Traffic) Suvashish Chaudhary said,“The action (on accused traffic officials) depends on the Crime Branch’s inquiry. If found guilty,law will take its own course.” Traffic Inspector Meena has since been transferred to a “non-sensitive post” in Seelampur circle,officials said.