Delhi: 3 traffic cops held for 'sexually assaulting' man

New Delhi, Apr 20: Three traffic police personnel were arrested after they allegedly took a 25-year-old man into custody following a scuffle and tried to sexually assault him at a traffic police station in north Delhi's Sabzi Mandi area, police said today.

The arrested personnel have been identified as assistant sub-inspector Balwant and constables Raju Kumar and Bharat. At least three other accused personnel involved in the case are absconding, a police official said.

A case under Sections 323 (causing hurt), 343 (wrongful confinement for three or more days), 365 (abduction with intent secret or wrongful confinement) and 377/511 (attempt to commit unnatural sex) of IPC has been registered in connection with the matter, the official said today.

"While the constables were sent to 14 days judicial custody by a court, the ASI was granted bail," DCP (North) Madhur Verma said.

According to police, a group of traffic officials stopped the complainant, a delivery van driver, for entering into a no-entry zone in north Delhi's Pulbangash area on April 16 evening, following which they entered into a heated argument.

The complainant claimed that the traffic personnel demanded bribe of Rs 1,000 but he called up his employer who instructed him to pay the penalty amount instead.

An argument broke out after the man started recording a mobile video protesting against the officials being lenient to other motorists for the same offence.

A scuffle ensued and the complainant allegedly broke their challan machine. The infuriated policemen then overpowered the man and took him to the traffic police station adjacent to the Sabzi Mandi Police Station.

There they allegedly took off his clothes and thrashed him for hours. The incident came to light yesterday when the complainant's family members finally tracked him and found him lying at the traffic police station in a half-naked state.

The complainant also alleged that the officials tried to sexually assault him by asking him to perform sexual acts on one of their colleagues.

The allegations are being verified, an official said. Police was informed and a case was registered on the basis of the victim's complaint. The traffic personnel were arrested immediately, he added.

PTI