In a shocking turn of events, investigators have linked five jailed police officers from the South-West District Narcotics Unit, previously charged with extortion and robbery, to a broader racket involving illegal liquor smuggling from Haryana to Delhi.
The Initial Incident
Initially reported as an extortion case, the incident involved the harassment and extortion of a large sum of money from detainees allegedly caught drinking in a car. However, sources now suggest that this incident connects to a larger illicit liquor trafficking operation.
Suspicion also falls on Haryana Police Officer Rajesh Kumar and Delhi Police Special Cell officer Deepak Chhillar, with allegations that the police concealed crucial facts. Attempts to contact the Delhi Police spokesperson for comments have been unsuccessful.
Arrest & Allegations
Two days ago, constables Vishwas Dahiya, Ashok, Rajkumar, Manish, and Deepak from the South-West District Narcotics Unit detained four individuals in the Rangpuri area. Among the detainees were Haryana Police Constable Rajesh Kumar, Delhi Police Special Cell Constable Deepak Chhillar, Sukhkaran, an employee at a liquor store in Haryana, and Anil Chhillar.
The detainees were reportedly beaten severely and released only after allegedly paying a bribe of ten lakh rupees. Following their release, Sukhkaran filed a complaint with the Delhi Police Control Room, detailing the extortion and assault.
Senior officers, prompted by the complaint, conducted a preliminary investigation and arrested the five policemen on extortion charges. During the court hearing, the authorities escalated the charges to robbery, resulting in the incarceration of the accused officers. The authorities recovered approximately seven lakh rupees from the accused officers.
Uncovering The Smuggling Operation
The police officer’s version of events comes into question due to the manner in which they treated the detainees. As per reports, the story was fabricated to cover up the smuggling operations at the Delhi-Haryana border. It indicated that public drinking in Delhi is not uncommon.
This issue extends beyond the South-West District to the South and South-East Districts. It implicates officers from Vasant Kunj South, Fatehpur Beri, and Badarpur police stations, along with special staff and AATS teams, in protecting smuggling operations for hefty bribes.
A Widespread Racket
A senior Delhi Police official disclosed that smugglers daily transport thousands of liquor cartons from L-1 liquor stores in Gurgaon and Faridabad, Haryana, to various parts of Delhi. Many restaurants and bars in the capital are significant consumers of this illicit liquor. An honest investigation could lead to dozens of police officers facing criminal charges.
Involvement Of Multiple Units
Sources indicate that the smuggling network includes not only the Delhi Excise Intelligence Bureau but also officers from the Delhi Police Crime Branch and Special Cell.
Interestingly, a prepared team intercepts the vehicle of anyone outside this network attempting to smuggle a large quantity of liquor into Delhi. However, such cases rarely appear in official records due to internal agreements.
This case underscores the pervasive issue of corruption within the police force and highlights the need for thorough and transparent investigations.
As the probe continues, the extent of the involvement of various police units and the depth of the smuggling network will be revealed, potentially leading to significant reforms within the police department.
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