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UP cop accuses 5 IPS officers of corruption, ganging up with extortionists in letter to DGP

Vaibhav Krishna, a 2010-batch IPS officer, has accused the 5 officers of conniving with builders, extortionists and journalists to ensure “transfers and postings”.   

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New Delhi: A Noida senior superintendent of police (SSP) has written to the Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) and the state’s principal secretary (home) accusing five of his IPS colleagues of corruption.

In his letter, Vaibhav Krishna, a 2010-batch IPS officer, has accused the five officers of conniving with certain builders, extortionists and local journalists to ensure “transfers and postings” in exchange for money. 

He has also accused an ASP-rank officer, a Provincial Civil Services (PCS) officer, four inspectors, a sub-inspector and three constables of extending favours such as booking movie tickets, arranging beer bottles and AC hotel rooms for these middlemen. 

Krishna has also provided UP DGP O.P. Singh with video recordings and clips in support of his allegations. An investigation into his allegations are being conducted by IG, Meerut, Alok Singh.

The IPS officer had himself, however, featured in an explicit video that was widely shared on social media. After the video went viral, Krishna had claimed that it was “morphed” and was leaked to tarnish his image.

He also alleged that he was being targeted because he had begun a probe to expose the nexus between the IPS officers, journalists and builders. 


Also read: After ‘go to Pakistan’ video goes viral, Meerut SP says protesters were raising anti-India slogans 


Officers named include SP probing land case against Azam Khan 

The officers named in the letter include the Rampur SP Ajay Pal Sharma, who is probing a land grab case against Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan. Pal was previously SSP Noida when he had carried out a series of controversial “encounters” in Noida and western UP.

The others named are Ghaziabad SSP Sudhir Singh, Banda SP Ganesh Saha, Sultanpur SP Himanshu and former Kushinagar SP Rajiv Narayan Mishra. 

Reacting to the letter, DGP Singh said authorities have initiated an investigation into the allegations but are yet to check the authenticity of the videos shared by Krishna. Cyber crime experts have been roped for the probe, he added.  

The DGP, however, added that Krishna writing a letter and then making it public was “unauthorised communication and is against the rules”.  

The Noida SSP has been asked to provide an explanation for violating Section 9 of All India Service rules. It is a violation,” Singh said.

When contacted by ThePrint, Rampur SP Sharma said he would comment on the matter only when an explanation is sought from him officially.

“We are a disciplined force. I hold my seniors in high regard. I will respond to this letter after I get something officially,” he said.

SP Banda Saha said he too would not comment on the issue at the moment. “I will not comment while the investigation is on.”

ThePrint reached Sultanpur SP Kumar and Mishra, the former Kushinagar SP, over phone, but the PROs of both the officers said they were not available.

Ghaziabad SSP Singh did not answer calls by ThePrint. He also did not respond to a text message.

The alleged racket

According to Krishna, he was probing an extortion case, registered in August last year, when he allegedly discovered the role of the five IPS officers.

His letter states that during the probe, four people — Sushil Pandit, Udit Goel, Chandan Rai and Nitish Pandey who claimed to be journalists — were arrested and booked under the Gangsters Act and the Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act.

On further investigation of their call records, WhatsApp chats, emails and bank account details, it was found that the gang was allegedly operating in connivance with the police officers, the letter adds. 

According to Krishna, the call detail records (CDRs) show that the Rampur SP Ajay Pal Sharma was in constant touch with Chandan Rai, one of the accused.

The letter adds that in one of the audio recordings accessed from Rai’s phone, the middle man is allegedly assuring the SP that he could get him a posting in Meerut in exchange for Rs 80 lakh.  

There are two audio recordings between the accused Chandan Rai and Ajay Pal in which Chandan is assuring Sharma that he has arranged for a posting in Meerut, but of the Rs 80 lakh that was to be given for it, 50 per cent will have to be made in advance,” the letter reads.

The letter has also accused the SP of shielding an accused by tipping him off about a planned raid by the Noida police.

On 22 August, when the Noida police team was to arrest Nitish Pandey, Sharma had tipped him off about the arrest and asked him to flee,” the letter states.

Krishna further alleged that Sharma had also asked Chandan Rai to delete some videos and photos from the phone of a woman, who was arrested in the extortion case. 

The woman had allegedly accused Sharma of molesting her.

After the woman’s arrest, her phone was taken by Chandan and a video was sent to the SP Rampur showing videos and photos she had on her phone. There are also messages in which Sharma tells Chandan to delete those photos and videos from her phone,” the letter said. 


Also read: Yogi instigated violence in UP to distract from BJP MLAs’ protests against him: Akhilesh


MMS on allowing entry of trucks in exchange for money

Krishna further accused Ghaziabad SSP Sudhir Singh of facilitating “postings” in several areas. 

The MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) found on Chandan’s phone shows that he asked the officer to post an inspector at Ghaziabad police station,” the letter reads. “Though the IPS officer refuses on call, he asks Chandan to come and meet him. Chandan also asks for a ‘schedule of postings’ from the IPS officer.””

Krishna has also alleged that he accessed another MMS that shows the Banda SP Ganesh Saha of having a conversation about “gaadiyan (vehicles) and payments”.  

There is a conversation sent to a resident of Nandgram saying that SP Banda will facilitate movement of trucks but the money has to be paid in advance,” the letter reads. “There is also an account detail that was shared to transfer the amount.” 

‘Rate card for postings’

Krishna has also claimed to possess the WhatsApp chats that Sultanpur SP Himanshu has allegedly had with two of the accused — Chandan Rai and Atul Shukla — in which there is talk of Rs 30 lakh for a posting in Bijnor, Rs 40 lakh for Bareilly and Rs 50 lakh for Agra.

According to Krishna, the IPS officer is assuring Shukla that he can manage postings in five areas. Police said that Shukla works in Lucknow with Cruxa Publicity, a firm that promotes UP government schemes. 

Krishna has also claimed to have chats of former Kushinagar SP Rajiv Narayan Mishra with accused Nitish Pandey over posting a police personnel in the SWAT team. 

Krishna, in his letter, has claimed that the policeman for whom a request was placed already had a case of corruption registered against him.  

The IPS officer has also claimed that during the investigations, it was found that Shukla was in touch with Manoj Baduriya, the officer on special duty (OSD) to former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav. 

The letter states that in a chat with Shukla, Baduriya is allegedly telling him that the state-owned Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) had bagged a project in Bihar and that if Shukla wanted, he could get a contract for it. “A commission of Rs 50 lakh was also discussed,” the letter states. 


Also read: ‘You will forget all your journalism’: How UP Police detained a reporter covering CAA protests 


 

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