2 Traffic Police Suspended For Demanding Rs 2500 Bribe From Businessman,No vehicles to be stopped for checks unless there’s violation in Bengaluru – Praveen Sood

Pramesh S Jain & Dr B Thomas (Special correspondent)

A n Assistant Sub Inspector and his colleague Head Constable attached to Halasuru gate traffic station have been suspended for taking Rs.2500 from a Kerala Based businessman after threatening him to foist a violation case and slap a fine of Rs 20,000 on June 10.

The suspended cops as,ASI,Mahesh DC and Gangadarappa who were on duty at Devanga junction intercepted the car of Mr.Santosh Kumar for random vehicle check and objected for carrying a wash basin in the car.

The duo threatened him that it amounts to traffic violation and asked him to pay Rs.20,000 in the court .

After reasoning with the duo,they agreed to take Rs.2500 and let him go without issuing a receipt .

Disturbed with this,Mr.Kumar raised the complaint with the traffic department online seeking action.

Based on the complaint,Dr BR Ravikanthe Gowda, Joint Commissioner of Police,Traffic,ordered an inquiry.

Probe revealed that the duo did not wear body worn cameras and stopped the car randomly to check documents amounts to negligence, dereliction of duty and misconduct .

Following the outcome,Mr.Gowda suspended the duo as part of disciplinary action against them.

It may be recalled that Mr.Gowda had directed the traffic police not to conduct random vehicle checks but enforce traffic rules through contactless provisions such as enforcement cameras handheld cameras and body cameras .

Meanwhile,Director General and Inspector General of Police,Praveen Sood on Monday, instructed traffic department not to stop any vehicles for random checks unless it involved in traffic violations or during special drive like drunk driving .

Replying to a tweet from Srivatsava Vajapeyam, who quipped Mr.Sood stating When Praveen Sood was Additional Commissioner of Police traffic,he had banned stopping vehicles for checking documents.

Now with Praveen Sood as DG&IGP, stopping vehicles everywhere is a daily phenomenon”, to this Mr. Sood replied that he is stand by it even now and directed city police commissioner and Joint Commissioner of Police,traffic to implement the order immediately .