Bihar police arrest S-Is in extortion racket

RANCHI, NOV 1: The Bihar police today claimed to have busted a major extortion racket in the state with the arrest of two Sub-Inspectors a...

RANCHI, NOV 1: The Bihar police today claimed to have busted a major extortion racket in the state with the arrest of two Sub-Inspectors and one Assistant Sub-Inspector. Another policeman wanted in this connection is absconding.

The four policemen, posted in the north Bihar districts of Khagariya, Chapra, Saharsa and Aurangabad, allegedly used a Transport Department revenue campaign to extract money from truck drivers, police sources said. The arrests came following a tip-off, they said.

A sum of Rs 4,23,864 allegedly collected by them has been recovered. A case has been

filed against the four at the Lalpur police station under Sec 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA).

Story continues below this ad

While two of the accused have admitted to “acquiring” money from the truck drivers, one of them alleged that it was a frame-up. The arrested policemen have been lodged in Ranchi Central Jail.

They were spearheading a campaign to mop up revenue for the cash-strapped Transport Department. The modus operandi of the four was simple. They intercepted trucks and threatened to book them unless they paid up.