Unfazed by the raid by Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) at Sonia Vihar police station in North Delhi, Delhi Police has started a parallel vigilance inquiry into the alleged corruption case involving head constable Anil. Anil was arrested by ACB after he was caught red-handed demanding and accepting bribe of Rs10,000 from a businessman in North-East Delhi. Delhi Police had claimed that the ACB overstepped its jurisdiction as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had curtailed the powers of the ACB and Delhi Police was no more under ACB’s ambit. Senior police officials claimed that the Central Government employees were beyond the purview of the ACB after a notification in 2013 by the Centre.
The face-off came to fore when ACB arrested the Delhi Police HC near his home on Thursday evening. A few hours later, the Delhi Police registered an FIR of abduction against unknown persons at Sonia Vihar police station on the complaint of the wife of Anil. Sources said that a vigilance enquiry was started by the Delhi Police Vigilance Branch and the station house officer (SHO) of Sonia Vihar, Rohtash Singh, has been transferred to the district lines by Delhi Police Commissioner. The SHO’s act to register an FIR was deemed illegal hence he was removed, said a police officer.
According to the case, a scrapdealer had recorded a conversation in which the three policemen posted at Sonia Vihar police station were demanding Rs20,000 from him for scrapping a criminal case against him. The complainant had called the Delhi Government’s helpline number 1031 and handed over the recording to them. later, Anil was arrested and a court had also sent him on three-day police remand.
Delhi Police senior officials told The Pioneer that an enquiry was being conducted by the vigilance unit and all the facts and allegations would be verified and investigated. A vigilance unit team also approached to complainant and collected the recording, which he had handed over to the ACB, sources said. Meanwhile, an ACB official said, “Delhi Police enquiry will not hamper our investigations and we will continue our probe.”