City policemen turn extortionists

City policemen turn extortionists

The culprits behaved like seasoned thugs but claimed that they were guardians of law and order.

Deccan Herald

The vice-principal of a nursing college in Jayanagar in Bangalore was allegedly abducted, assaulted and robbed of Rs 10,000 in cash, a mobile phone, a gold chain and a bracelet by a team of six policemen. Preliminary investigation has revealed that all the culprits are policemen attached to the Commercial Street Police station. However, no arrests have been made as investigations are still on.

In a complaint lodged with the Joint Commissioner of Police, the victim, Bhagirath Singh of Karnataka School of Nursing, alleged that he was also receiving repeated threatening calls. The culprits approached him on Thursday around 3 pm when he was standing in front of his house on 18th Main Road in Jayanagar 4th T Block.

Introducing themselves as City Crime Branch sleuths, they forcibly took him to the Commercial Street police station. After dragging him on to the terrace, they forced him to write a statement that he was involved in examination malpractices at his college and took his signature on two blank papers. He was handcuffed and assaulted and relieved of all valuables by the culprits, who also demanded Rs one lakh from him. But the victim said he had only Rs 10,000 in his ATM account. They made him withdraw the money and released him after threatening him that he better pay the remaining Rs 90,000.

Interestingly, the culprits made him swear on Ganesha’s idol at the police station that he would not reveal the incident to anybody. According to Mr Singh, one of his abductors in police uniform claimed that his name was Nagaraj and he was a constable at the Commercial Street police station.

“I am receiving calls and they are threatening to kill me, my wife and my child,” the victim has reportedly told investigators.

Investigations are being led by City Crime Branch ACP B K Shivaram.