The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on Monday booked a Deputy Superintendent of Police, Narcotics Intelligence Bureau CID, Salem, under the Prevention of Corruption Act on charges of forcing a woman to sell ganja and pay monthly bribe. A woman Inspector of Police and an official of the Treasuries and Accounts Office have also been named as accused in the case.
In her complaint to the DVAC, K. Rani of Tiruchengode said that her husband K. Kumar was arrested and detained under the Goondas Act on charges of being in possession of 1,300 kg of ganja. She alleged that when she approached DSP P. Kumar in Salem in July 2017 to seek his release, the DSP asked her to continue ganja business and pay him a monthly bribe of ₹1 lakh. Expressing her inability to pay so much she negotiated the quantum of bribe to ₹25,000.
Thereafter, the woman along with her associate Murugan met the DSP at different locations and allegedly paid the bribe in instalments.
On one occasion, Mr. Kumar instructed them to transfer the bribe money to a State Bank of India account, which was in the name of M. Sibichakravarthy, Superintendent, Treasuries & Accounts Officer, Thanjavur.
In November 2017, the Inspector of Police, NIB CID, K. Shantha, allegedly demanded her share of monthly bribe and threatened the complainant that she would take severe action if the money was not paid regularly. Fearing police action, Rani asked Murugan to deposit ₹49,000 in the bank account.
A month later, Ms. Shantha arrested Rani and Murugan on charges of being in possession of ganja and detained them in the police station. She demanded an immediate payment of ₹2 lakh for not registering a case. After the duo made an initial payment of ₹80,000, they were allowed to go with a warning that the balance amount of ₹1,20,000 should be paid at the earliest.
Rani moved to Andhra Pradesh in December 2017. However, the DSP continued to call her on mobile phone and threatened to take action if the bribe, pending for three months, was not paid.Unable to make money, Rani lodged a complaint with the DVAC. A special team headed by an Additional Superintendent of Police investigated the complaint. After establishing prima facie evidence, a case was registered against the DSP, the Inspector and Treasuries and Accounts department official. “The payment of money through bank account has been verified and found to be true. The complainant had also recorded the conversation that she had with the DSP and others,” a senior investigator told The Hindu on Monday.
A search was conducted on the office and residential premises of the suspects where documents relating to immovable assets were seized, sources in the agency said.
