Four Uttar Pradesh cops suspended after planting narcotics on jeweller and extorting Rs 2 Lakh

Shahjahanpur (UP), Sep 6 (PTI) Four policemen posted in the district have been booked and suspended for allegedly detaining a jeweller, falsely accusing him of possessing narcotics and extorting Rs 2 lakh from him, officials said on Sunday.

Police said two of the accused constables have been taken into custody and are being questioned, while efforts are underway to arrest the other two.

Superintendent of Police Saurabh Dixit said, citing the FIR registered at Jalalabad police station, that constables Arun Chittodiya, Pankaj, Tushar and Virendra, posted at Tilhar police station, reached Jalalabad on two motorcycles on Friday night.

Dixit said the policemen allegedly contacted jeweller Sundaram over the phone on the pretext of pledging jewellery. Sundaram told them that his establishment was in the town and that he had closed it and come to Jalalabad.

When Sundaram reached Sariya Mor, the four constables allegedly asked him to accompany them to a nearby village. They allegedly placed something in his motorcycle and subsequently took him to the Biriyaganj police outpost under the Tilhar police station, where they accused him of possessing narcotics and demanded Rs 3 lakh, the SP said.

According to the complaint, Sundaram's father reached the Biriyaganj outpost with Rs 2 lakh later that night, following which the jeweller was released.

On Sundaram's complaint, police registered a case against the four constables under relevant sections, Dixit said. Police have detained constables Pankaj and Virendra for questioning.

He said police are conducting a detailed investigation into his role.