L. B. Nagar traffic police inspector Khaja Moinuddin was suspended by Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat on corruption charges on Tuesday. Mr. Moinuddin had stopped the vehicle of a rice merchant and took a bribe of Rs. 25 lakh after he found the latter was carrying Rs. 1.25 crore in the car on October 28.
The matter came to light only a month later, after the rice merchant Bandaru Kushalaiah informed A. R. Srinivas, Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic), Cyberabad, about the incident. Moinuddin then also returned the Rs. 25 lakh he had taken from the businessman. After an inquiry was ordered by Mr. Bhagwat, the traffic inspector was suspended for misusing his position and indulging in corrupt practices.
Mr. Bhagwat also issued charge memos to sub-inspector G. Nagraju and a constable Satyanarayna and a show-cause notice to home guard Jangaiah for not informing their superiors about the incident. According to the Rachakonda Commissioner, Moinuddin had first demanded Rs. 50 lakh from the rice merchant and later settled for Rs. 25 lakh.
On October 28, Nagaraju, Satyanarayana and Jangaiah had stopped Mr. Kushalaiah’s car and informed Moinuddin that they found the huge sum in his car. The traffic inspector returned the cash to the businessman on November 29 after the latter approached the police.
According to sources, Moinuddin was previously posted as an inspector with the Detective Department and was posted at LB Nagar. Prior to that he was working as an inspector with a police station in the Old City in Hyderabad. He reportedly resigned from duty to contest in the general elections held in 2014.
