NEW DELHI: At first sight, it appeared like a daily visitors enforcement operation within the capital — a business automobile driver being pulled up for a violation and a cop issuing a challan earlier than letting him cross. Nevertheless, there was a twist — many of those drivers, geared up with hidden spy cameras, have been appearing on the instruction of a extremely organised crime syndicate to report the motion in a high-tech sting operation. As soon as collected, the uncooked footage grew to become the inspiration of a classy blackmail operation. Most of the recordings have been doctored to entice the police personnel, forming the idea for threats and extortion calls for. To extend the strain, repeated false complaints of alleged corruption have been lodged in opposition to the focused officers, triggering departmental inquiries and extreme skilled stress. As soon as the syndicate, primarily working in northeast Delhi, efficiently extorted the targets, the false complaints have been withdrawn, leaving the officers susceptible and financially drained.A while in the past, the accused even demanded sexual favours from a number of lady visitors personnel in lieu of not making their movies viral, a senior officer mentioned. Many visitors officers even opted for switch out of the circles the place this gang was energetic, he added.After the gang, run by Raju Meena and Jeeshan Ali, was busted, there have been combined emotions within the visitors unit. Whereas some breathed a sigh of aid, others have been rattled because the probe additionally centered on colluding officers. The preliminary probe has indicated that some visitors cops have been hand in glove with the gang.
Clips Doctored, Gang Targets Visitors Police To Run Syndicate
A visitors cop instructed TOI that the group might need greater than 100 members. “Meena would ask visitors cops to permit vehicles to cross throughout no-entry timings. Considered one of his males can be stationed at pickets or particular areas to facilitate the passage and acquire cash, which was then shared. If a policeman refused to cooperate, Meena would goal him,” he added.One other officer mentioned the gang would initially attempt to lure visitors policemen by providing cash. If the cop refused, the gang would nonetheless secretly report them — whether or not whereas issuing on-the-spot challans or throughout routine actions like making purchases and funds at retailers — and manipulate the footage to intimidate or strain them.“In a single case, the gang tried to entice a sub-inspector whereas the officer was making a cost at a store and transferred extra cash, which the shopkeeper was returning in money. The whole incident was recorded and a grievance was filed 15 days later. Throughout the inquiry, the shopkeeper, nonetheless, mentioned he didn’t know the SI and recounted the complete sequence,” he added.“If, regardless of the intimidation, an officer continued to oppose Meena’s unlawful actions, he would ship an affiliate posing as a complainant, together with the video, to a govt company, falsely alleging bribery and prompting the company to conduct a raid or take motion in opposition to the staffer,” the officer mentioned.DCP Sanjeev Yadav mentioned the syndicate used to vary the unlawful stickers each month — their design, color and codes — to keep away from detection. “The cell numbers displayed on the stickers have been additionally modified on a month-to-month foundation,” he added.