Now, suspended encounter specialist faces bribery charges in Mumbai

Suspended police officer Pradeep Suryavanshi has courted controversy once again.

The Bombay high court on Monday issued notice to the deputy commissioner of police, zone X, to file an affidavit stating the action taken against the allegations of corruption and harassment made by a Mira Road businessman against Suryavanshi and five other police officers.

Yunus Khan, 34, and his wife Nargis, 28, moved court alleging that Khan, at the behest of a business acquaintance, was tortured in a police lock-up, implicated in a false case and made to pay bribes to Suryavanshi and other police officers.

Their petition also said that Nargis had recorded the bribe demands made by Suryavanshi on a spy camera, the footage from which was sent to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). However, no action was taken against the allegedly errant officers.

Their petition stated that in March 2009, one Abhishek Jain purchased electronic items worth Rs9,50,000 from Khan. Jain gave Khan a post-dated cheque and mortgaged his car and 350gm gold with him till the money was paid. However, Khan asked Jain to return his belongings even before the cheque was cleared. But, the latter refused.

Khan’s petition states that on April 1, 2009, he was forced into a car and beaten while Jain watched on. After that he was taken to Andheri police station and “mercilessly” beaten in the lock-up. He was then compelled to return Jain’s car and gold and other articles like a TV, projectors and other articles were seized by the police.

Khan claimed that he was asked to pay the officers Rs2,50,00 in the form of bribe, of which Rs1,50,000 was for Suryavanshi.

When he and his wife went to meet Suryavanshi at the Andheri police station on April 3 and 7, they recorded his demands on a spy camera which was sent to the ACB. However, the ACB trap failed.

Their advocate Kunal Cheema told the court that Khan has was seeking a probe by the CID or a special investigation team. The court has adjourned the case for two weeks.

Suryavanshi was arrested in March this year for his alleged involvement in the fake encounter of Chhota Rajan aide Ramnarayan Gupta on November 11, 2006, at Versova.