Extortion case against former Kalkaji SHO

NEW DELHI: The anti-extortion cell of the crime branch has registered a case of extortion against a former Kalkaji SHO, who is now posted in the security wing of Delhi Police. ‘‘We are probing his conduct over the past two years. The crime branch received the case about 10 days ago,’’ said additional commissioner of police (crime) Neeraj Thakur.
According to sources, the FIR was lodged last Friday after a CR Park businessman, Bikash Bakshi, who owns a CNG kit shop at the DDA Market in Kalkaji, alleged that the former SHO — Joginder Kumar — had been seeking ‘favours’ from him.In the FIR, Bakshi has alleged that Kumar had threatened to shut his shop if he didn’t fulfil his demands. He complained that the SHO had forcibly taken away his mobile phone costing Rs 15,198. The former SHO allegedly put his own SIM and used it for 18 months. Bakshi alleges that he was asked to take special care of the officer’s ‘guests and friends’ for which he even had to give out his personal vehicle.
Things turned for the worse when the former SHO went to the victim’s shop on June 2 and introduced a man as ‘‘the police commissioner’s friend.’’ Joginder asked Bakshi to fit a CNG kit in the car of this ‘special friend.’ ‘‘When the businessman turned down the request, the policeman allegedly sent two other cops to threaten the businessman. However, when the businessman did not bend, he was threatened by the former SHO himself,’’ said a senior crime branch officer.
It was after this incident that the victim approached police commissioner Y S Dadwal. On his direction, the then additional commissioner, (vigilance) R P Upadhay, probed the incident and based on his report, Joginder was transferred to the security wing. Bakshi then moved a writ petition in the Delhi HC seeking action against the SHO and two constables — Ashok and Nirpal Singh. The HC ordered the police to lodge a case. Bakshi alleged that cops didn’t initiate any action. Bakshi then filed an RTI seeking details of the case. When he did not receive an answer, he approached the joint commissioner (southern Range) Ajai Kashyap. It was on his directions that the crime branch finally lodged a case.