Delhi crime branch officers accused of holding youth hostage

A 25-year-old youth has alleged that he, along with his friend, were held hostage for three days by four policemen posted in the crime branch here, an official said on Saturday.

The youth alleged they were taken into custody after their car brushed against a vehicle in which the policemen were travelling.

According to the police, the incident occurred on July 10 when Deepak Pal, 26, along with his friend, Sohib -- both residents of Hapur in Uttar Pradesh -- were going towards Dilshad Garden in a car.

Deepak works as data entry operator and together with his cousin Pushpender, he has started his own cafe in Hapur.

"Deepak's car accidentally brushed against a Maruti Swift in which four police personnel posted with the Dwarka crime branch unit were travelling. The police personnel in plain clothes started beating Deepak and his friend.

"Later, they took them to the crime branch office where they illegally held them hostage and assaulted till Friday (July 13) night," Sachin Pal, a relative of Deepak, told IANS.

"We received a call from the crime branch office on Friday that Deepak has been arrested in a case of cheating, and asked us to reach the office in Dwarka," Deepak's cousin Pushpender said.

When they reached there, the crime branch officials allegedly threatened that if they fail to provide a bribe of Rs 4 lakh, they would slap a false case of cheating and data theft on Deepak, he said.

"They later freed Deepak after we gave them over Rs 4 lakh. We tried to meet Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Aditya Gautam in this connection but his staff thrashed us and turned away," he alleged.

"The officers turned a minor road accident case into a cheating case... They did not even show his arrest or presented him before a magistrate within 24 hours as per the legal norms," Pushpender added.

Speaking on the incident, Joint Commissioner (Crime Branch) Alok Kumar said: "We had taken Deepak Pal and his associate Sohib into custody regarding some cheating case but later we had freed them after no evidence was found. We are investigating the charge of bribe. Strict action will be taken against the officers if found guilty."

--IANS

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