CHENNAI : A Telangana-based jewellery shop employee, who landed in Chennai carrying `32 lakh in cash to purchase gold, was allegedly forced by four police constables to give `1.5 lakh as bribe to them. After the jewellery shop owner complained to a senior police officer, an inquiry was ordered under an Additional Commissioner of Police against the four constables and the `1.5 lakh bribe amount was reportedly recovered from them.
The incident took place Friday when a person called Srinivasulu, an employee of a jewellery shop in Warangal district, was travelling in a car on Rajappa Chetty Street in Park Town.
Four constables - Mariappan, Raja Singh, Sani Laidu and Muthuramalingam - stopped the car during routine vehicle checking.
“They found that Srinivasulu was carrying `32 lakh and was not able to produce documents regarding the source of the money. The constables must have informed their superiors and the person must have been handed over to the Income Tax department. But they are said to have demanded `10 lakh as bribe to let him go,” said a police officer.
After much bargaining, Srinivasulu gave the police personnel `1.5 lakh cash after which the cops allowed him to leave. However, later in the day, the jewellery shop owner brought this to the notice of a senior police officer who immediately asked an Assistant Commissioner to investigate. It is learnt that the officer recovered the `1.5 lakh cash from the constables.
A senior police officer, incharge of the departmental enquiry against the constables, told Express he will take action once he gets the final report. “I have not got the report yet. Will take action against the personnel, if their crime is proved,” he said. He added that he can rule out the possibility of hawala dealings by Srinivasulu only after a detailed inquiry.