UP Cop Demands Cooler As Bribe, Suspended

A police officer has been suspended for demanding a cooler as a bribe in Uttar Pradesh.

Manish Kumar Prajapati - posted in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Mau district - has been accused by a man of asking for a cooler and Rs 6,000 as a bribe from his wife. The man, Om Prakash Sharma from Katghara Shankar Village, also claimed Mr Prajapati abused his wife on a phone call.

Mr Sharma has filed a police complaint and provided an audio recording of the conversation as evidence.

An investigation by Madhuban Circle Officer Abhay Kumar Singh found the allegations against the police officer to be true.

A similar incident came to light in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj recently where a sub-inspector was suspended for demanding "potatoes" as a bribe to settle a case. An investigation later revealed that the word "potato" was used as a code for bribe.

An alleged audio of the cop, Ram Kripal Singh, asking for the bribe had gone viral on social media where he was heard asking a farmer for 5 kg "potatoes" who expressed his inability to fulfil the demand and offered 2 kg instead. The final deal was then struck at 3 kg.