UP: SHO suspended after WhatsApp chat on ‘bribe for transfers’ goes viral - Hindustan Times
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UP: SHO suspended after WhatsApp chat on ‘bribe for transfers’ goes viral

Hindustan Times, Meerut | ByS Raju, Meerut
Jul 18, 2018 03:21 PM IST

The in-charge of Dibai police station in Bulandshahr district was suspended in the wee hours of Tuesday after a WhatsApp chat purportedly between him and an unknown person on how senior police officials took money for transfers went viral on social media.

The in-charge of Dibai police station in Bulandshahr district was suspended in the wee hours of Tuesday after a WhatsApp chat purportedly between him and an unknown person on how senior police officials took money for transfers went viral on social media.

The SHO made the claims while responding to an associate seeking his guidance for posting and transfer of a policeman.(Representative image)
The SHO made the claims while responding to an associate seeking his guidance for posting and transfer of a policeman.(Representative image)

The WhatsApp messages were exchanged between Dibai SHO Parashuram from his official CUG (closed user group) number and an unidentified person in which Parashuram claimed the ADG and the SSP of Bulandshahar took bribe for his transfer and posting as in-charge of Dibai police station.

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The SHO made the claims while responding to an associate seeking his guidance for posting and transfer of a policeman.

On the complaint of senior superintendent of police (SSP), Bulandshahr, KB Singh, an FIR was lodged against unidentified persons under sections 170, 419, 468, 471, 500, 501 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 66C, 66D and 74 of the Information Technology Act (amended), 2008.

“Serious charges of taking money for transfers and postings have been levelled against me and other senior officers. It has tarnished the image of senior officials and the entire police department which is a punishable offence,” the SSP said in the complaint lodged at around 2.30 am on Tuesday.

Interestingly, the SSP did not name Parashuram in the complaint.

While repeated attempts to contact the SSP failed, ADG, Meerut zone, Prashant Kumar termed the charges baseless.

Parashuram began his chat with the person asking: “Kucchh paisa kharch kar lega?” (Will he be able to spend some money for the transfer?)

“Yogi sarkar hai har jagah paisa chal raha hai (It’s Yogi government, money is exchanging hands everywhere),” he further commented during the chat.

Citing his own example, Parashuram claimed he paid 50,000 to the ADG (did not name the officer) for transfer from Noida to Bulandshahr and thereafter paid 3 lakh to SSP Bulandshahr for posting as SHO in Dibai.

He also asked his associate to hand over 50,000 in an envelope to a clerk at the ADG’s camp office and an application in another envelope, and his work would be done.

When asked by his associate if the ADG too accepted bribe, he replied: “Paisa kaun nahi leta? Bas madhyam pata rehna chahiye. Direct koi nahi leta (Who does not take money? One should know the right links. Nobody takes it directly).”

Refuting allegations levelled in the chat, ADG Meerut zone Prashant Kumar said there was no mention of the ADG’s name in the chat. “I am only responsible for inter-range transfers. All inter-district transfers are done by the inspector general (IG). The SHO has been suspended and an FIR has been lodged in this connection,” he added.

“A report has been sent to senior officials in Lucknow,” a senior police officer said.

In May this year, the Noida crime branch wing was also dissolved when similar allegations were made against senior police officials. The screenshots of WhatsApp messages, believed to be posted by a disgruntled policeman or an associate, suggested that senior police officials as well as their juniors were a part of a bribery network.

Head of the crime branch Sanjeev Kumar, 13 members of SWAT team and two constables were sent to Police Lines and a probe was ordered into the allegations.

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