Lucknow: A senior police officer has been suspended in Uttar Pradesh after an audio clip of him allegedly striking a deal with a history-sheeter over a "planned encounter" went viral.

The clip was reportedly recorded by former block pramukh Lekhraj Singh Yadav, who has more than 70 cases registered against him and is out on bail, during his phone conversation with Maunranipur police station SHO Sunit Kumar Singh.

In the audio clip, Singh is purportedly heard informing Yadav about a "planned encounter" against him and advises the former legislator to "manage" local BJP leaders to "save" himself.

"The encounter season is on... Your mobile number is under surveillance and you will be killed soon. I suggest you manage Sanjay Dubey (BJP district president) and Rajeev Singh Paricha (BJP MLA from Babina). Only then can you get some relief, otherwise anything can happen," Singh is alleged to have said.

"We are the biggest criminals. I have killed many people and thrown them away. You are a good man, god is with you... But my history is very bad and my future bright," the senior policeman allegedly said.

Hours after the alleged phone conversation on Friday, a police team led by Singh landed at Yadav's hideout in Mauranipur's Harkaranpura village to arrest him. However, Yadav and his associates opened fire on the police and escaped. An FIR was subsequently lodged against Yadav and his two sons under Section 307 (Attempt to Murder).

Yadav is said to have leaked the clip to the media after the cop reneged on his alleged deal to "protect" him.

News18 could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio clip.

After the audio clip went viral, an inquiry was ordered into the entire episode. "It's a serious matter that a police officer is trying to bargain with a criminal. We have suspended the SHO and ordered a probe," said SSP Jhansi Vinod Kumar Singh.

The controversy comes amid criticism of the UP Police's 'encounter spree'.

Close to 1,200 encounters in a year have led to the death of 34 alleged criminals, left 265 injured and got 2744 history-sheeters arrested in the state. The highest numbers of encounters were reported from Meerut zone — 449. This was followed by Agra zone which reported 210 encounters. Third on the list was Bareilly zone with 196 encounters and then came Kanpur zone with 91 shootouts. The least number of police encounters were in CM’s constituency of Gorakhpur.

Countering Opposition criticism over the unusually high rate of encounters, CM Yogi Adityanath had said in the Assembly that it is "unfortunate that some people are showing sympathy for criminals. This is dangerous for democracy".