Two constables arrested for extortion in Coimbatore

The Coimbatore District Police on Thursday arrested two police constables on charges of extorting money from a college student.

Police sources said that Rajarajan, a head constable attached to the Karumathampatti Police Station, and Jagadeesh, a constable with the District Armed Reserve Police, were arrested by the Sulur police. On April 25, the two constables had demanded ₹10,000 from a college student who was reportedly talking to a woman inside a car that was parked near a five-star hotel on Avinashi Road in Neelambur.

The policemen were allegedly in plainclothes when they extorted the money and threatened the youth not to reveal it to anyone. The youth later lodged a complaint at the Sulur police station, following which the police confirmed the identity of the two policemen using CCTV footage available from the spot.

They were booked under Sections 166 (Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 294 (b) (Uttering obscene words) and 387 (Putting person in fear of death or grievous hurt, in order to commit extortion) of the Indian Penal Code. On Thursday, the Sulur police arrested the two policemen and remanded them in judicial custody, the sources said.

V. Badri Narayanan, Superintendent of Police for Coimbatore district, clarified on Friday that this was a case of extortion and not bribery as the two accused received the cash while being outside their respective jurisdictions. “They will be suspended and departmental action will be initiated against them,” he said.