MUMBAI: Mumbai Police has suspended a police constable pending an inquiry after a video purportedly showing him threatening student protesters with false drug cases went viral on social media.
In the video, the constable, who was driving a police vehicle, is allegedly heard telling the students that he would plant a 50-gram packet of drugs in their pockets, arrest them under the NDPS Act and "ruin their careers" if they continued protesting. He also allegedly warned them not to return to the protest site and claimed there would be serious consequences if they did.
Following the video's circulation, Mumbai Police suspended the constable and initiated a departmental inquiry into the incident.
The episode drew sharp political reactions across party lines.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray questioned how the policeman could claim to have drugs readily available to falsely implicate protesters. He demanded a thorough investigation into the constable's conduct, alleging that either he was involved in drug peddling or had been misusing his authority by threatening to frame innocent people in narcotics cases.
"Strict action should be taken against the policeman for misusing his powers," Thackeray said.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal condemned the alleged threats, saying the police could not be used to intimidate students exercising their democratic right to protest.
"This is a blot on democracy. If police can threaten to falsely implicate students in drug cases, it raises serious concerns about the misuse of power. We strongly condemn such conduct," Sapkal said.
NCP (SP) leader and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule also criticised the incident, calling it a stain on the image of the Mumbai Police.
She questioned how a police officer could claim to have access to drugs for planting on protesters and urged Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis to clarify the government's stand on the matter.
"Students are on the streets seeking their rights. Instead of ensuring their safety, they are allegedly being threatened with false criminal cases. The Home Department must explain whether it endorses such coercive tactics," Sule said.
