SHAHJAHANPUR: In another embarrassment to UP Police, two head constables were arrested on Tuesday for allegedly stopping a businessman on the road on the pretext of checking his car and holding him and his driver hostage in the vehicle for hours for ransom. The duo had received information that the businessman was carrying Rs 50 lakh in his car and were lying in wait for him on Tilhar road in Shahjahanpur. The businessman managed to contact his partner, who informed police and the hostages were rescued.Both accused policemen were immediately suspended, arrested and booked for extortion and fraud. Both were sent to jail after they were presented before the chief judicial magistrate on Tuesday.Prem Prakash, additional director general of police, Bareilly zone, told TOI, “They (head constables) have been booked under relevant IPC sections. SP, Shahjahanpur has orally informed me about the incident and I am waiting for a written report in this matter. Stern action will be taken.”According to sources, Gyanendra Pandey, a businessman based in Uttarakhand’s Kashipur town was on way to Hardoi district in his car along with driver, Prashant Kumar, on Monday, when the two head constables flagged the vehicle to stop in Tilhar area of Shahjahanpur district . Pandey was carrying Rs 50 lakh with him for purchasing paddy from a local dealer in Hardoi.What Pandey did not know was that the two policemen — head constable Mahendra Singh, who was posted at Tilhar police station, and Satyadev, a former member of the crime branch team who was recently transferred to reserve lines after a complaint -- had prior information that he was carrying Rs 50 lakh and were lying in wait for him.Satyadev allegedly introduced himself as sub-inspector Abhishek Kumar from the income-tax department to Pandey, “inspected” his car and “seized” the cash. Thereafter, one of the policemen took charge of the car and told Pandey that the cash would be submitted at the income-tax office where he would have to reveal the source of the money. But instead of taking the businessman and driver to the I-T office, the duo drove towards Jalalabad. Later, they demanded more money.Meanwhile, Pandey sensed that both men were trying to dupe him and so he requested them to allow him to make a phone call to his partner. Pandey somehow managed to convey his situation to his partner and asked him to contact police for help.This matter was brought to the attention of inspector general of police, Bareilly range and all the police stations in Shahjahanpur were alerted. A massive manhunt was launched. In the night, SHO of Jalalabad police station, Harendra Singh, located the businessman’s car and rescued the two men held hostage.On Pandey’s complaint, an FIR was registered against both policemen under IPC section 386 (extortion with deadly weapon) and 420 (forgery).Additional SP (rural) SC Shakya told TOI , “This is the result of extreme greediness displayed by both policemen. Both were arrested on Monday night. The businessman was rescued. We have handed over the cash to the Income Tax department and both policemen have been sent to jail.”Last month, 13 Bulandshahr policemen, including five SIs, were arrested for looting a local resident of his two motorcycles and Rs 84,000. All the policemen were posted in Khurja police station.In May, a WhatsApp message had claimed to have exposed a rate card of bribes demanded by UP cops for different offences. As many as 18 officers of the Special Operation Group of the Noida Police were transferred to police line after a probe.

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