Constable accuses senior cops of extortion, probe ordered

Lucknow: A constable posted in the Reserve Police Lines has levelled serious allegations of corruption and illegal money collection against several IPS officers and senior police officials through a viral video on Facebook.Taking serious note of the video, DCP (Lines) Anil Kumar Yadav ordered an inquiry into the matter.The constable, Sunil Kumar Shukla, alleged that policemen are forced to pay money every month in exchange for duty assignments and favourable deployment in the reserve police lines.Addressing Yogi Adityanath in the video, Shukla demanded a high-level and impartial inquiry into the alleged corruption racket. He accused IPS officers of running what he described as a “zamindari-style extortion system” within the police department.Using strong language against senior officials, the constable alleged that IPS officers were functioning like “black British rulers” and exploiting lower-rank police personnel through systematic illegal collections.According to Shukla, the alleged extortion network is linked to the process of duty allocation in the reserve police lines. He claimed that the system operates through a chain of officials beginning with senior IPS officers and extending down to Reserve Inspectors (RI), calculation in-charges and guard commanders.The constable further alleged that IPS officers appoint reserve inspectors, who then appoint calculation in-charges responsible for preparing duty rosters. These calculation in-charges, according to him, appoint guard commanders who allegedly collect money from constables and clerical staff for assigning duties.In the viral video, Shukla claimed that constables and clerical staff are allegedly required to pay Rs 2,000 every month to guard commanders for getting duties assigned.Reacting to the video, DCP (Lines) Anil Kumar Yadav confirmed that constable Sunil Kumar Shukla belongs to the 2015 batch and is currently on leave, and had recorded and uploaded the video during this period. He also stated that Shukla’s wife is employed in the police department.The investigation has been assigned to the ACP, Crime Against Women, and further action will be taken after submission of the inquiry report, Yadav said.