Bengaluru: DCP's sting nets 4 traffic cops while taking bribes

Bengaluru: Four traffic policemen, including a head constable, were suspended on Tuesday for charges of corruption leveled against them after a senior police officer who went in disguise did repeated sting operations on them last week.

The suspended policemen were identified as Yogendra, Ananthakumar, Arun, all three police constables and Jagadish, a head constable, who were attached to the City Market Traffic police station.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic West, S. Girish, said that the four were caught on camera taking bribes ranging from Rs 50-200 from vegetable and flower vendors, autorickshaw drivers, tempo and lorry drivers and even footpath hawkers. “Their collection started as early as 6 am and continued till about 8.30 am,” Mr Girish said.

“I had gone in disguise with a pen-camera and a mobile to record what our men were doing on Avenue Road, Kalasipalaya and nearby market areas. I did the sting operation on four different days, 24, 25, 26 and 27 of this month and found the practice of corruption rampant among the four constables who were apprised of their wrongdoings and were later suspended,” he said.

The DCP had been receiving complaints repeatedly from the City Market area that the policemen, particularly the traffic policemen, were involving in corruption and based on the complaints, the DCP conducted a sting operation himself and caught the corrupt policemen.