9 policemen have been arrested for involvement.
Policemen were paid Rs24 lakhs a month by touts to allow 100 ‘illegal taxis’ do business at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, an investigation has revealed. The vehicles did not have permits to ply as taxis.
“There were more than 20 touts at the airport when the first investigation took place two months back. Each tout used to pay the police Rs4,000 a day, which means 20 of them would pay Rs80,000. This was divided among several corrupt policemen who allowed this business to go on,” said a senior police officer involved in the investigations. “This has been going on for a few months now, which means the policemen must have pocketed more than Rs1 crore.”
The first investigations were carried after several people complained of touts operating at the airport. Several policemen were allowing them to work at the airport without a license. “We suspended nine police officers after our probe revealed their hand in the affair. The problem is that many touts start working again because they know the fine is much less than what they earn in a day. We have also increased the fine for the offence to Rs10,000 to deter them in the future,” said the official.
To avoid such incidents, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) is setting up a Biometric Identification System which will only allow people with the ID card to work at the airport. “We have 1,800 verified taxi drivers at the airport. Only these people will be allowed to work from January. This will keep out the offenders,” said the official. Several cases of abduction and murder were reported after taxi drivers picked up some passengers from the airport.
“We are worried about passenger safety. We have posted plainclothes policemen to keep an eye on offenders, “said a police officer.
Shameer, a 39-year-old merchant from Saudi Arabia was abducted outside the IGI by cabbies on October 10. He was robbed and his body was thrown in the bushes on the Delhi-Jaipur highway.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}