New Delhi: The Gurugram Police has rejected a former army officer’s claims that some traffic police personnel “humiliated and harassed” him and his family at a drunk-driving checkpoint in the city over the weekend.
Preliminary investigation into the case has not revealed any misconduct or misbehavior on the part of traffic personnel, according to DCP (Traffic), Gurugram, Prateek Gehlot.
Retired Army Major Hemendra Kumar Singh (46), who has served in counterterrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, told ThePrint the alleged incident happened around 11:55 pm on 6 June, while he was returning home after having dinner with his family at the Cyber Hub, Cyber City.
He said he was stopped by a traffic police team for a breathalyser test.
“I agreed to undergo the test. However, before blowing into the device, I requested a fresh disposable straw because the straw attached to the machine appeared crushed, visibly worn and looked previously used. Surprisingly, my request was denied and I was instructed to use the same straw. The reading displayed on the machine was 91 mg/100 ml,” Singh said.
He said that he had not consumed any liquor whatsoever, and requested a retest using a fresh straw. “Instead of facilitating a fair retest, I was directed to an interceptor vehicle where Inspector Brahmadatt Prakash was seated.”
“Despite my repeated requests for a fresh test, members of the team proceeded with challan formalities. They took my mobile phone while I was attempting to show my Driving Licence through DigiLocker. Even before my concerns regarding the test procedure could be addressed, entries for a challan were being made,” he said.
He said he introduced himself as an ex-Army officer traveling with his wife and children and asked for a fair retest with a fresh straw. “Inspector Brahmadatt Prakash responded from inside the car, and I quote as accurately as I can recall: ‘Main teri afsargiri nikalta hoon aaj’.”
“I never imagined that my wife, my two young daughters aged 9 and 14, and I would be subjected to such humiliation and harassment at the hands of those entrusted with enforcing the law,” the retired major told ThePrint.
In a complaint submitted to Gurugram Police, Singh said he has been deeply disturbed by the incident.
Singh has served the nation in counterterrorism operations in Jammu & Kashmir and subsequently built a professional career. Singh is an alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad and UCLA Anderson School of Management, USA.
Also Read: In a city told to work from home, Delhi’s traffic police remain in brutal heat
The late night ordeal
In a video recorded by Singh’s family, a Haryana Police van remains stationed on the road, where Singh is heard telling the officers, “You have challaned me wrongly.” Further, he tells the traffic personnel that he has called the local police.
“Used pipes have been used for the test. This is a wrongful challan.”.
His wife, and two daughters are also seen in the video.
Singh then said, the officer told the police team to process the challan, with no retest. “The tone and intent were clearly disrespectful and hostile.”
Subsequently, in the presence of Inspector Brahmadatt Prakash, two officials conducted a retest. The reading displayed was 13 mg/100 ml, the officer claimed. “On my insistence, a second retest was conducted, and again the reading was 13 mg/100 ml.”
Singh said he was not permitted to photograph the display or formally record the result.
The family then dialled the local police, and by then, Singh said, the traffic personnel had left. Singh alleged “absence of empathy”.
Singh, a diabetic patient, said he is a person with a service-related disability sustained during the military career, and the prolonged stress and the delay posed additional health concerns.
“I requested the responding local police personnel to facilitate a medical examination at a government medical facility so that the matter could be conclusively settled through a scientifically verifiable test.
“They expressed their inability to assist and advised me to get tested on my own. I pointed out that such testing, if it is to carry evidentiary value, should ideally be conducted through the proper legal process and in coordination with police authorities. Nevertheless, no assistance was provided,” Singh alleged.
Gurugram Police denies misconduct
DCP (Traffic) Gehlot told a press conference Tuesday that Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for breath analyser test has been prepared by the police commissioner.
In compliance with the SOP, alcohol-checking drives are conducted every week on roads where incidents of excessive drinking and driving are common, specifically on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 pm to 1 am.
During these checking drives, it is mandatory for the zonal officer to wear a body-worn camera in accordance with the SOP guidelines to ensure transparency in the challan process and to record every activity during the checking procedure, he said.
Additionally, a new pipe/mouthpiece is used on the alcohol sensor device for every individual driver tested, Gehlot said, adding that the test is done once.
Regarding the specific allegations in this case,Gehlot clarified that an inquiry is being conducted by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic Headquarters & Highway) Satpal Yadav.
“According to the preliminary findings of the investigation, the body-worn camera footage recorded by the traffic zonal officer during the alcohol-checking operation was reviewed. Based on this review, it was found that the driver was issued a challan under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act because the alcohol sensor reading was 91.
“Furthermore, no evidence was found indicating any form of misconduct or misbehavior by Gurugram Traffic Police officers or personnel toward the driver or his family members,” Gehlot added.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Union Government standardises breath analysers for accuracy