By Express News Service

BENGALURU: It was like any drink-and-drive check. Four traffic cops asked the motorists to blow into the alcometer. But the people who were caught were not the motorists but cops themselves! No, they were not drunk nor were they driving. In fact, they were caught red-handed by their senior officers.

The four were allegedly misusing their power and extorting money from motorists driving under the influence of alcohol, using alcometers not issued by the police department.

Assistant Sub Inspector Muniyappa and constables Gangaraj, Nagaraj and Harsha, all attached to Ashoknagar traffic police, have been suspended since.

Police said that the senior officers had received several complaints of traffic policemen extorting money from drunk drivers.

To crack down on such staff, a special team was formed to look into such cases. On Saturday night, the team got to know that a team of policemen was extorting money from motorists near Srinivagilu Junction in Ashoknagar traffic police station limits.

“The officers sent private parties as commuters to catch the officers red-handed. The four policemen who were in uniform stopped them and asked them to blow into the alcometer. Then the police told them that their vehicle would be seized and they would have to a pay a penalty of Rs. 15,000 in the court. They also offered them a ‘solution’: that they can pay a few thousands of rupees on the spot or transfer money through Paytm. Only when the senior officers intervened, they realised that they were trapped. It was found that the errant policemen had bought an alcometer for the purpose,” the police said.

“All the four have been suspended pending departmental inquiry and a criminal case has been filed against them in Viveknagar police station. It is learnt that they were doing it since the last few months,” the police added.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) B R Ravikanthegowda, who supervised the operation, appealed to the public to pass on information to senior officers if they suspect that traffic police are extorting money from the public during drink-and-drive checks.