Paisa vasool by cops

Many of us are guilty of violating no-parking norms. While at times we may have gotten away with it, at others we have had to pay a fine, or find that the car has been towed away. Imagine, however, that upon coming back to your car, you find that the tyres have been deflated or the spark plug has been removed and upon enquiry you realise that it was not miscreants but your neighbourhood policemen who were responsible!

Some city police openly admit to “fixing” vehicles parked in no-parking zones. According to them, they need to resort to such measures in order to prevent rampant violations of parking rules. Also disturbing are the reports that some demand money to return the plugs. Afzalgunj inspector B. Anand says that whenever they see vehicles in a no-parking zone or carelessly parked, his teams deflate the tyres. “Most vehicles in the MGBS area are stolen because people park them carelessly.

“They park their motorcycles in ‘no-parking’ areas as they are not ready to pay the `5 parking fee. If they would pay the fee and keep them in the designated parking zones, the vehicles would be safe and our headache would also lessen. So at times we have to resort to certain measures to jolt these careless motorists,” he says.

However, there are other complaints against the Lake police for harassing people who remain near Necklace Road after 10 pm. “My friends and I were sitting on the side of the lake at night when the police came shouting and throwing lathis. We walked to the parking lot where we had parked our vehicle. However when my friend tried to start his bike it would not start,” says Rahul (name changed).

He added, “A cop shouted from a distance that he had the spark plug but he would not give it back. At last one of our friends who is in the media showed his ID card and only then did he give it back.”
Corporate employee Itisree Samal says, “The lake police who patrol the Hussainsagar Lake and the surroundings areas are trying to throw their weight around. The police are doing their job, but not honestly. They at times randomly target young couples and ask them for money and mobiles irrespective of any fault.”

DCP Central Zone Akun Sabharwal says, “There is no rule that people cannot be by the lakeside at night. But routine checks will happen.” When asked about cops deflating tyres and removing spark plugs, he answers, “No policeman has the right to do it. If someone is doing these things then it has to be stopped. I will look into it and will take any necessary action.”

Citizens need to learn about their rights and know that they can question a policeman or law-enforcing authority when they are being harassed or being asked to pay a bribe. According to a senior advocate Bhaskar, “There is no exemption for policemen who violate the rules. If a police officer does so, one can approach a higher official and lodge a complaint. If your complaint is not redressed by the officer, you can then approach the court and file a writ petition,” he says.