Jammu traffic cop suspended after bribe footage goes viral

A traffic policeman was suspended and a departmental inquiry ordered after a video purportedly showed his subordinate demanding bribe from a driver to allow him a passage, officials said on Saturday.

They said the department will also take action against the subordinate officer, an SPO, for his "gross act of indiscipline", misconduct and dereliction of duties.

Selection grade constable Chattar Singh and SPO Sanjay Sharma are the traffic policemen concerned, they said. The incident happened on Friday when the two were deployed for traffic regulation at 4th Tawi bridge in the city.

The driver, from whom the bribe was allegedly sought, secretly shot a video footage, which late went viral, when he was stopped by traffic police personnel at 4th Tawi bridge.

In the video, the SPO is purportedly seen boarding the vehicle and taking the bribe from the reluctant driver to let him go. He is then seen getting down. His senior was standing on the roadside.

The Jammu senior superintendent of police (traffic) issued an order within hours of the incident, saying since the selection grade constable did not stop the SPO from boarding the vehicle for ulterior motives, he stands suspended with immediate effect.

"The (suspended) selection grade constable is directed to report to traffic police line Jammu immediately and deposit his uniform articles in stores. A departmental inquiry is hereby ordered against him and entrusted to Additional Superintendent of Police, traffic city Jammu...and submit findings within five days positively," the order read.

The SSP said the incident has tarnished the image of the uniformed traffic police.

"The suspicious/doubtful activities especially of the SPO in presence of the selection grade constable are gross act of indiscipline, misconduct and dereliction of duties as boarding of SPO in the stopped vehicle are suspicious and with ulterior motive and action against the SPO shall be taken separately," the order issued late Friday said.