Constable shoots video alleging corruption in Lucknow Commissionerate; probe ordered

In the video, a uniformed man, who identified himself as Constable Sunil Kumar Shukla, posted in the Reserve Police Lines of the Lucknow Commissionerate, alleged that IPS officers were running a corrupt feudal system in the police force.

A video showing a police constable alleging corruption in the deployment of personnel in the Lucknow Police Commissionerate went viral on Thursday, prompting authorities to order a probe into the allegations. In the video, a uniformed man, who identified himself as Constable Sunil Kumar Shukla, posted in the Reserve Police Lines of the Lucknow Commissionerate, alleged that IPS officers were running a ''corrupt feudal system'' in the police force. ''Honourable Chief Minister, I want to draw your attention towards the corruption-driven feudal system allegedly being run by IPS officers in the Lucknow Police Commissionerate and other districts of Uttar Pradesh,'' the constable said, addressing Yogi Adityanath. Shukla alleged that constables and head constables were being forced to pay Rs 2,000 each in exchange for duty assignments. He alleged that the collection is made by the duty-in-charge, who would take a cut before passing the remaining amount to senior officers up in the chain of command. The commissionerate, in a press statement, said it had formed a committee to conduct a ''fair and detailed inquiry'' into the constable's allegations. The statement said deployment of guards and duties in the Reserve Police Lines, Lucknow, was carried out strictly according to the prescribed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), under regular supervision of gazetted officers. It added that changes in duty-in-charge were also made periodically by senior officers. The commissionerate said the inquiry was being conducted by the Lucknow Police Lines' additional deputy commissioner of police. It noted that the complainant constable was currently on 20 days' earned leave. ''Necessary legal and departmental action will be taken in accordance with rules after completion of the inquiry and examination of facts and evidence,'' the statement said.