Crackdown On Extortion At UP-Bihar Border: Ballia DSP Suspended, SP Among 2 Officials Transferred

At least 18 people, including two police officials, were arrested after a raid was conducted in UP's Ballia and a well-organised extortion ring was uncovered.

UP News: In a massive crackdown on illegal extortion from truck drivers on the Bihar border, the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday arrested 18 people, including two police officers, while three cops fled the scene.

The arrests took place after joint teams led by ADG Varanasi and DIG Azamgarh carried out a raid at Bharouli Tiraha under Narhi police station in Ballia and uncovered a well-organised extortion ring involving police personnel.

The state government also transferred the Ballia superintendent of police and additional SP and suspended the deputy SP, Sadar, in connection to the case.

Besides two police officers, 16 brokers were also arrested. According to a statement issued by the government, extortion money was collected from trucks coming from Bihar's Buxar.

The Yogi Adityanath-led government also suspended 18 policemen, including the SHO, for their involvement in the extortion racket. In a late-night raid, a joint team of ADG Varanasi and DIG Azamgarh discovered that Rs 500 was extorted from each truck, and the illegal operation generated Rs 5 lakhs daily, the statement informed.

The 18 police officials who were suspended included SHO Narhi and Chowki Incharge Korantadih, along with 03 sub-inspectors, 03 head constables, 10 constables, and 1 constable driver, as per the statement.

The arrested brokers used to record vehicle counts and hand over the money to SHO Narhi, and all records were maintained in a notebook. The house of the SHO was sealed, and a case was registered against him.

Vigilance Inquiry Ordered

A vigilance inquiry of the properties of deputy SP Sadar, Narhi police station SHO, and police outpost in-charge has also been ordered, the UP government said in the statement. 

After the revelation of illegal collection of money from vehicles by police personnel on the Bihar border, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has taken strict action with a zero tolerance policy, the statement also stated.

Taking note of it, Ballia Superintendent of Police Dev Ranjan Verma and Additional SP Durga Prasad Tiwari have been transferred and put on a waiting list, while DSP Sadar Shubh Soochit has been suspended, it said.

Earlier, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Azamgarh zone) Vaibhav Krishna told reporters that several complaints of extortion by policemen along the border were received by Additional Director General of Police (Varanasi zone) Piyush Mordia, as reported by news agency PTI.

It is estimated that about 1,000 vehicles cross the border each night, highlighting the extent of the illegal operation, he added.