In a disturbing development for Bengaluru’s police force, two officers—an Assistant Sub Inspector and a Hoysala driver—have admitted to extorting ₹75,000 from a vulnerable migrant worker and his family in Varthur this past July. This confession follows closely on the heels of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) uncovering another extortion ring involving a constable from the Internal Security Division earlier in the month.
The illicit money was promptly returned on Friday after an internal inquiry led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of the Whitefield Division in Bengaluru.
The accused, identified as Ganesh and Prabhu, reportedly, along with an accomplice, forcibly entered the home of Lalchand Sheikh in early July. Lalchand, a school van driver from West Bengal, was falsely accused of being a Bangladeshi national and detained on fabricated charges of illegal immigration and forging documents.
A senior police official confirmed that the officers demanded ₹75,000 for Lalchand’s release. His parents, desperate for their son’s freedom, tried to negotiate. Ultimately, Lalchand’s mother, Sajira, a domestic worker, managed to gather the amount and transferred it online to one of the perpetrators to secure her son’s freedom.
The Karnataka State Human Rights Commission Steps In
With the assistance of a dedicated social activist, the victim bravely brought his ordeal to the attention of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC), which then alerted the Whitefield DCP.
The DCP launched an immediate investigation, leading to the accused officers’ confession and the return of the extorted funds. The case has since been handed over to the jurisdictional Assistant Commissioner of Police for a more comprehensive investigation, according to a senior police source.
Calls for Transfer to Prevent Further Harassment
R. Kaleemullah, a prominent city-based activist and one of the complainants in the case, urged the DCP to implement measures preventing further harassment of migrant laborers by these officials. “I have specifically asked for the accused police personnel to be transferred to a different station,” Kaleemullah stated, “to alleviate the palpable fear among the many migrant laborers residing in and around the Whitefield area.”
The KSHRC is currently awaiting the DCP’s official response. Sources indicate that the two police personnel, having admitted to the bribe and returned the money, could face charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
KSHRC officials are expected to summon the complainant to record a formal statement regarding these serious allegations, sources added.