Bengaluru: A head constable attached to Pulakeshinagar traffic police station has been suspended for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 5,000 from a truck driver in a case where only a court could impose the penalty.The suspension order against the cop, Somashekhar, was issued by DCP (traffic-east) Sahil Bagla following allegations of misconduct and dereliction of duty.According to a complaint filed by a social activist, truck driver Syed Afroz, 44, from KR Pura, was stopped around 5.30pm on July 18 after driving a truck carrying iron rods on St John’s Main Road during peak traffic hours. Police booked him under Section 285 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for obstructing traffic flow.
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As the offence required the accused to appear in court, the penalty had to be determined by a magistrate. However, Somashekhar allegedly told Afroz the vehicle would be released if he paid Rs 5,000. When Afroz’s friend offered to pay through a digital payment app, the constable allegedly insisted on cash.Suspecting wrongdoing, Afroz and his friend secretly recorded the cash transaction on a mobile phone while handing over the money. They later discovered that a case had nevertheless been registered against Afroz and that he was still required to appear before court and pay the fine imposed by the magistrate.Armed with video evidence, the truck driver approached an activist and, with his help, filed a complaint with senior police officers. Following a preliminary inquiry, Somashekhar was placed under suspension on July 21.
