Anti-corruption bureau court gives bail to 36 cops accused of taking bribes

The special anti-corruption bureau (ACB) court on Monday granted bail to 36 police officers attached with the Nehru Nagar police station, who were arrested for allegedly accepting bribes in April 2013. The 36 accused were granted bail against a cash surety of Rs5,000 each. The court warned the accused not to tamper with the evidence or threaten the witnesses in the case.

The prosecution's case dates back to April 2013, when one Mohammed Khan recorded the police officials in the alleged act of accepting bribes. As per Khan's allegations, each cop took Rs 100 to Rs 500 from him, for a period of ten days. He further alleged that he parted with Rs45,000 in this way. As per Khan, he was in the process of helping his friend to get his house modified. Tired by the alleged demands of the police, Khan conducted a sting operation.

Advocate Vaibhav Bagade, who appeared on behalf of all 36 cops, told dna, "Our main grounds were that the complainant himself acted as an independent investigating agency. He was reluctant in handing over the evidence to the agency, thus causing a delay. Thus we hold that all the accused are falsely implicated in the case and have no role in the case."

The bail plea was opposed by the prosecution, which said that the ACB had enough evidence with them to prove the charges against the police officers.