Meet BJP MLA who accused cops of ‘corruption’ at police station in Lucknow; inquiry ordered

Shukla (65) said he initially contacted the Mahigawan police station over the phone to seek a clarification. But when the issue was not resolved, he said he had no option but to head there in person.

He alleged that two personnel posted there were misusing their authority and needlessly harassing the public. “The police should take action on the faults and shortcomings,” Shukla said.

“There was no dharna at the police station,” he added, when asked if there was a protest. “I went there to lodge a complaint against two policemen, including a sub-inspector rank officer and a constable.”

The city police has begun a formal probe into the charges, and the two policemen have since been removed from their posts. Confirming the action against two men, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Lucknow, Amol Murkut (IPS) said an inquiry has been ordered into the allegations. He added that Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bakshi Ka Talab, Gyanendra Singh has been tasked with conducting the probe.

Shukla, a resident of Lucknow, has been associated with the BJP for many years and has held several organisational roles, including positions in the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha. A former village pradhan, he won the 2022 Assembly election from the Bakshi Ka Talab constituency on a BJP ticket — marking his first electoral contest and first victory.

He said he has never been associated with any other political party. He was also active in student politics.

The complaints

According to the MLA, the matter came to his notice a few days ago when a local resident came to him about a mobile phone. The resident said he received a call from the police station, informing him that the phone had been traced. However, when he reached the station, the resident said a constable allegedly demanded Rs 2,000 as a bribe to return the handset.

Shukla said he contacted the police authorities and lodged a complaint on the resident’s behalf. But when the man later returned to the station to collect his phone, he was allegedly threatened by the staff and told that no such device had been recovered.

Citing a similar incident, the MLA said a youth — a relative of the local pradhan — had his motorcycle seized by a sub-inspector on the grounds that the vehicle’s documents were incomplete.

The pradhan contacted Shukla, claiming that the challan had been issued incorrectly as the rider was carrying all the required documents and was also wearing a helmet.

Shukla said he intervened and raised the matter with the police, who admitted the challan had been incorrectly issued. However, since the motorcycle had already been seized, the owner was told he would now have to approach the court to secure its release.

“Despite this, for nearly seven days, the police did not send the report to the court, preventing the owner from starting the release process. He (vehicle owner) has been left running between the police station and the court without any resolution,” the MLA alleged.

Shukla said he went to the police station with his associates and party workers, met the officials on duty and apprised them of the alleged harassment faced by residents. Subsequently, both policemen named in the complaints were removed from the station and attached to the reserve police lines.

The MLA further claimed that several other residents had informed him that police personnel were issuing challans arbitrarily to meet internal targets, even when vehicle owners were carrying valid documents. “If this is true, it is a serious matter and such practices must be checked by senior authorities,” the MLA said.