New Delhi, Oct 11: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday arrested a woman sub-inspector and a male assistant sub-inspector of Delhi police for taking a bribe of Rs 50,000 from one of their departmental colleague who is accused in a rape case.

 

Agency sources said that the complainant who filed the rape case against the sub-inspector is also a constable in Delhi Police. This case has shed light on how deep the crime of corruption exists in one of the country’s elitist police forces. It also shows that corruption in the police has become so entrenched that even in the case of a female constable, the woman investigating officer did not deter taking bribe from the accused sub-inspector.

 

The arrests are also evidence of the fact that arrested police officials if allowed could go to any extent to shield the accused in a situation in which none other than her female colleague is seeking justice in a rape case.

 

The CBI arrested ASI Lekhram, posted at Malviya Nagar police station, taking fifty thousand rupees from rape accused SI Manoj Kumar. Later, the woman SI Romi Memroth was also arrested by the CBI. Sub-Inspector Manoj, accused of rape, is currently posted at Mangolpuri Police Station.

 

Sub-Inspector Manoj gave a complaint to the CBI on October 7, alleging that Malviya Nagar SHO Satish Rana, Sub Inspector Romi and ASI Lekhram (Chitta Munshi) were paid fifty thousand rupees as a bribe to settle the rape case registered against him. They had demanded a bribe of Rs one lakh.

 

The CBI verified the charges made in the complaint in the presence of an independent witness. Sub-Inspector Manoj's mobile conversation with Sub-Inspector Romi and ASI Lekhram was recorded. Manoj spoke to ASI Lekhram on behalf of female sub-inspector Romi. The ASI asked for a bribe of one lakh rupees and asked to pay the amount in two instalments of fifty-fifty thousand.

 

The ASI told Manoj that the status report of the case is in his favour in the rape case would be shown to him before it is placed before the high court.

 

After this, on October 9, the CBI registered a case, after laying a trap, arrested ASI Lekhram red-handed and later sub-inspector Romi. DCP South District Benita Mary Jekar said that during the investigation, SI Manoj applied for anticipatory bail in the Sessions Court, Saket. The court asked the sub-inspector to join the investigation and rejected his bail plea.


The accused policeman approached the high court and was also asked to join the investigation by the court. South District DCP Benita Mary Jaker said that on Saturday, SI Manoj came to the police station at 8 pm and asked the female SI Romi for documents as Romi was not present in the police station at that time, so he turned to ASI Lekhram and sought the documents.

 

It was at this juncture, the CBI sleuths caught the ASI red-handed while taking the bribe. The CBI also arrested the woman sub-inspector later on.