Two cops suspended for extorting Rs 1,000 from married couple at midnight

Two constables from the Sampigehahalli police station in northeastern Bengaluru have been suspended for harassing and extorting Rs 1,000 from a married couple who were returning home from a cake-cutting ceremony at 12.30 am on December 9.

The constables told Karthik Patri and his wife they had broken a rule by venturing out after 11 pm and threatened to arrest them.

Patri shared the “traumatic” incident on Twitter, tagging the city police chief.

According to Patri, he and his wife were just metres away from the entrance to their housing society located behind Embassy Manyata Business Park when a pink Hoyala patrol car pulled over.

Two uniformed policemen got out of the car and asked for their IDs. Patri said he and his wife showed photos of their Aadhaar on their phones.

But the policemen snatched their phones and started grilling them about their relationship, place of work, parents, etc.

One of the policemen then took out a challan book and noted their names and Aadhaar numbers. Asked for an explanation, they accused Patri and his wife of breaking a rule by venturing out after 11 pm.

Patri said they apologised and pleaded to be let off but the policemen asked them to pay Rs 3,000.

The policemen showed them photos of convicts and threatened to put them behind bars. After much pleading, they let the couple go by making them pay Rs 1,000 via a QR code.

Taking note of Patri’s tweet, police identified the officers as head constable Rajesh and constable Nagesh and placed them under suspension with immediate effect.

A detailed inquiry has also been ordered into the matter, Anoop A Shetty, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast), said in a statement. Shetty clarified that there was no rule that people should not walk on the road after 11 pm.