Detective Inspector Satish and Sub-Inspector Prasad Rao of Afzalgunj police station were suspended on the charge of releasing two thieves whom they had caught after collecting Rs. 50,000 as bribe from them.
Police Commissioner M. Mahender Reddy suspended the two officials on Friday after an internal inquiry was ordered following allegations of the duo releasing the offenders by taking money. Satish is an SI of 2004 batch, while Rao belongs to the 2010 batch.
Strike deal
According to police sources, the officials got information that a two-member, Delhi-based gang of thieves stealing suitcases and wallets of passengers at bus-stands had arrived in the city. After keeping a tab on the movements of the gang, the SI picked them up from the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station, Imlibun.
Instead of informing the higher-ups and interrogating the suspects detained, the SI and the DI struck a deal with the robbers demanding huge money to set them free without registering any cases. The duo finally agreed to pay Rs. 50,000 and rang up their gang members in Delhi to arrange the money.
The suspects were taken to a hotel and provided biryani as their associates transferred the money into two bank accounts specified by the two police officials. While Rs. 25,000 was credited in one account belonging to the DI’s close relative, the remaining sum was transferred into the account of the latter’s associate.
Once the money was transferred, the two persons were let off. However, Afzalgunj Inspector B. Anjaiah got wind of this and apprised the city police top brass.
An inquiry confirmed the complicity of the duo in setting free the thieves after ascertaining the text messages and phone calls made with the gang, police sources said.
Police officers charged with taking bribe from the robbers for their release
