Ludhiana sub-inspector booked, ‘cops demanded bribe to settle case’, says FIR

The high drama had ensued in Moga city Thursday evening after SI Kuldeep Singh, SHO division number 5 police station, allegedly slapped and manhandled Dhamija during a raid at a scrap market in connection with a motorbike theft case.

A team of Ludhiana police led by the SHO had raided a shop in Moga’s scrap market in connection with the theft of around seven motorbikes which were allegedly sold in Moga. During the raid, Dhamija, who is also president of Moga’s Scrap Market Association, tried to intervene and asked Ludhiana police to provide details of the case. CCTV footage purportedly shows the SHO slap Dhamija and push him in a fit of rage.

According to the FIR, Dhamija in his complaint told police he was politely talking to Ludhiana police team when a person who was in civil dress and accompanying the cops said that 4-5 stolen motorbikes were sold to that particular shop owner and if they want this case to be buried, they have to give Rs 1 lakh as bribe.  

After Dhamija along with other Congress councillors and shopkeepers sat on protest outside Moga city-1 police station Thursday, a video of the SHO ‘apologizing’ went viral in which he was heard saying that the slap was ‘not intentional’. 

Speaking to The Indian Express, Dhamija however said that the SHO apologized “just to save his skin” so that no departmental action is taken against him. “…He should be suspended so that he learns a lesson. He openly threatened me that he has contacts with higher-ups so no one can do anything to him,” said Dhamija. 

An FIR against the cop was registered under sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 341 (wrongful restraint) of IPC at Moga city-1 police station.