Four cops found guilty of threats,extortion,no legal action yet

On Friday,Divisional Commissioner Manoj Kumar Singh directed the Bijnore Superintendent of Police to take legal action against the four accused and transfer them. Singh also directed the SP to order an investigation by a gazetted officer into the case of attempt to murder filed against Hussain.

The divisional commissioner also directed the police to ensure that the four policemen return the money to Hussain in the presence of a gazetted officer.

But instead of legal action,the police have ordered a departmental inquiry against the four policemen — Sub-Inspector P K Chauhan,Constables Hussain Zamin Zaidi,Umesh Chand and Vijender Singh,all attached with Syohara police in Bijnore.

Though the four have been suspended and a circle officer has been asked to re-investigate the attempt to murder case,it seems that the sympathies of the local police are with their colleagues.

On the Divisional Commissioner’s direction that the four policemen should return Rs 1.1 lakh to Hussain,SP of Bijnore Raj Kumar said,“If it is established that money was taken by the policemen,they will be asked to return it” — this even after Hussain’s allegations were corroborated by other people.

“They supported Hussain’s allegations before senior police officials,” said the divisional commissioner. But for Hussain,a resident of Mewa Nawada village in Bijnore,the nightmare is still far from over. He says that he is still being pressurised to withdraw the complaint against the four policemen.

It all began on August 19 last year,when the police picked up Hussain. They claimed they had information that he had sold a stolen tractor to one Haji Ehsan of Jyotiba Phule Nagar. The four policemen then took Hussain to Haji Ehsan. But on examining the papers,they found no discrepancy,as Tahir had bought the tractor from a man in Unnao.

“While returning to Bijnore,the policemen stopped the vehicle at an isolated place and threatened to kill me in an encounter if I did not pay them Rs 2 lakh. After much pleading,they agreed to accept Rs 1.1 lakh,” said Hussain. He then called up a friend and Ehsan,and asked them to arrange the money. “Three hours later,Ehsan brought the money to the place where I was held captive. After taking the money,the policemen released me with a warning not to talk to anyone about the incident,” he added.

After returning home,he filed a complaint with senior police officers,including Moradabad Range IG Gurbachan Lal. An inquiry was conducted and Sub-Inspector Chauhan and Constable Hussain Zaidi were sent to the police lines. But soon,Hussain was under pressure to withdraw the charges against the policemen. When he refused to withdraw the charges,the police allegedly converted a pending case of robbery,where Hussain was named,into an attempt to murder case.

“They found no evidence against me in the robbery case. So the police suddenly dropped the dacoity charge and converted it into a case of attempt to murder,” said Hussain. He also said that the robbery case,which was filed just six days before the police picked him up,was filed by Kherunnisa because of an old enmity between her husband and his friend Furkan. Kherunnisa had alleged that 11 people had forcibly entered her house and decamped with jewellery. “Since I was a witness in a case filed by Furkan against Kherunnisa’s husband,and I had give evidence in court,so she named me in the case,” said Hussain.

Two men were arrested in the robbery case,but not Hussain. They were later released on bail. But after Hussain refused to withdraw the extortion charges against the four policemen,the police said the complainant’s son Mohammad Rafeeq has alleged that the intruders had shot at him and he had received a pellet injury.

It was at this stage that Hussain’s wife,Alam Jahan,moved an application before the Division Commissioner. Now Hussain plans to approach DGP Karamvir Singh and request him to order some other agency to probe the matter.