New Delhi:
Two Delhi Police officials, including a Staion House Officer, have been sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment by a court for taking "protection money" from unauthorised restaurants and cafes.
The court said due to the misuse of positions by public servants, mushrooming of such cafes are encouraged. Special judge Narottam Kaushal held Surya Prakash Rawat, the then Station House Officer (SHO) of Bhajanpura, and the then sub-inspector Ram Kumar Tyagi guilty under various provisions of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act relating to demand and acceptance of illegal gratification.
"On account of misuse of position as public servants by the SHO and his staff, mushrooming of unauthorised restaurants/cafes was encouraged.
"Instead of assisting the MCD in closing such restaurants, law enforcing agency was permitting their proliferation in lieu of personal favours," the judge said.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 35,000 each on the duo. It, however, allowed their pleas for suspending their sentence till September 20 to enable them to file appeals against their conviction and sentence.
According to Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Rawat and Tyagi had demanded illegal gratification in the form of monthly payment from Deepak Kumar Aggarwal, proprietor of a restaurant in the area.
Tyagi claiming to be working for Rawat and had even received different amounts from time to time from the restaurant owner on different dates, it said.
Deepak Aggarwal then approached the officials of ACB and recorded the conversation of Tyagi and Rawat with him and one of his friend, who posed as another restaurant owner.