Akhilesh Yadav shares video of IPS officer soliciting Rs 20 lakh bribe, Meerut Police responds

An old video of an IPS officer demanding money from a businessman has surfaced on social media. The video purportedly shows IPS officer Anirudha Singh asking someone on a video call to arrange for Rs 20 lakh.

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has also shared the video on his Twitter account. He attacked the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh asking it whether it will take 'bulldozer' action against him. A probe has been ordered against the officer. IPS Anirudh is currently posted in Varanasi. The Commissioner there has been asked to submit his report in the matter.

"After this video of an IPS demanding money in UP, will the direction of bulldozers change towards him or will the BJP government get rid of the matter by adding one more name to the list of absconding IPS? The people of UP are seeing the reality of BJP's zero-tolerance towards crime," SP President said on Twitter along with the video.

उप्र में एक आईपीएस की वसूली के इस वीडियो के बाद क्या बुलडोज़र की दिशा उनकी तरफ़ बदलेगी या फिर फ़रार आईपीएस की सूची में एक नाम और जोड़कर संलिप्त भाजपा सरकार ये मामला भी रफ़ा-दफ़ा करवा देगी।

उप्र की जनता देख रही है कि ये है अपराध के प्रति भाजपा की झूठी ज़ीरो टालरेंस की सच्चाई। pic.twitter.com/JsMAhzRFPU

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 12, 2023

The purported video has been stated to be of the time when IPS officer Anirudh Singh was posted in Meerut district. Reacting to Yadav's tweet, Meerut Police wrote, "This video is over 2 years old and does not have any connection with Meerut. Probe has been completed in the matter."

उपरोक्त वीडियो 02 वर्ष से अधिक पुराना है जिसका संबंध जनपद मेरठ से नहीं है। प्रकरण के संबंध में पूर्व में ही जांच पूर्ण हो चुकी है।

— MEERUT POLICE (@meerutpolice) March 12, 2023

Later the state Director General of Police issued a statement saying police are probing the contents of the video, which is more than two years old.

"A video of Shri Anirudha Singh, IPS officer appointed as SP Rural in district Meerut, is going viral in which he is seen conversing with a person through video call. On the basis of the said video, allegations of corruption are being levelled against Singh," an official release issued by the DGP said.

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"The said case is 2 years old, but in view of the seriousness of the case, the Police Headquarters has inquired about it from the Commissioner Varanasi, current posting of the officer and sought a report within 3 days," it said.

Another probe has been against Singh's wife, who too is an IPS officer, over allegations made in a tweet against her of not paying rent to her landlord. Aarti Singh, posted as DCP Varuna Zone Commissionerate, Varanasi has been accused of not paying rent for her flat, the DGP office said.

"Aarti Singh is the wife of Anirudha Singh. We have come to know that Aarti Singh has paid her rent and there is no outstanding balance, but the Police Headquarters has asked Commissioner Varanasi to probe the matter and give his report within 3 days," it said.

(With inputs from PTI)