Fazilka SSP Supended In Crackdown Against Corruption In Punjab

SSP Varinder Singh Brar was suspended for inaction after four cybercrime officers were arrested for extorting money from a minor's family in Fazilka.

Fazilka SSP Varinder Singh Brar was suspended for inaction against police personnel demanding bribe against the family of a minor accused.

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Senior Superintendent of Police, Fazilka, Varinder Singh Brar was supended on Wednesday in a crackdown in corruption in Punjab. The action comes a day after four Cyber Crime police station personnel were arrested on allegations of extortion from a minor accused. 

Brar was arrested by the Vigilance Department for not taking action against the police personnel who demanded a Rs 1 lakh bribe from the family of the accused minor.  

According to reports, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also took a serious view of the lapses on the part Brar, who allegedly allowed the station  house officer (SHO) and other staff of the cyber crime to act with impunity. 

The case was booked against a minor for allegedly forwarding a pornographic video to someone and the police personnel tried extorting money from his family to clear his name from the case. 

On Tuesday, Inspector Manjeet Singh, SHO, Cyber Crime Police Station, Senior Constable Rajpal (Reader to SHO), Senior Constable Shinder Pal, and Senior Constable Sumeet Kumar were arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau for allegedly extorting Rs 1 lakh from the family of the 17-year-old boy involved in the cyber case.

According to a senior officer, the minor had inadvertently accessed adult content and his family was threatened by the policemen with an FIR under cybercrime charges unless the bribe was paid. 

The matter came to light after the boy's father, Dharminder Singh, provided evidence of the bribe demands to Chief Minister Mann, prompting swift action.