CAUGHT RED HANDED..! UP Police Caught Taking Rs 30,000 Bribe in Sting Operation
A meticulously planned sting operation has sent shockwaves through Mirzapur, spotlighting persistent corruption within the state’s law enforcement ranks.
In a significant blow to police integrity, the Anti-Corruption Organization (ACO) of Uttar Pradesh Police arrested Inspector Shiv Shankar Singh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Chilh police station, on Thursday evening while he was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. The arrest, executed through a meticulously planned sting operation, has sent shockwaves through Mirzapur, spotlighting persistent corruption within the state’s law enforcement ranks.
According to Neeraj Pathak, SHO of City Kotwali, the incident unfolded after Hari Narayan Yadav approached Inspector Singh to file an FIR against a man from Chandauli accused of raping Yadav’s niece. Instead of upholding his duty, Singh reportedly demanded Rs 50,000 to register the complaint. Outraged by the extortion attempt, Yadav lodged a complaint with the ACO, prompting swift action. The ACO team laid a trap and nabbed Singh on February 27, 2025, as he accepted Rs 30,000 in cash—apparently a negotiated reduction from his initial demand.
“Singh has been booked under relevant sections of anti-corruption laws and sent to judicial custody,” Pathak confirmed. “The investigation is ongoing to ascertain the full extent of his misconduct.” Video evidence of the arrest, widely circulated on social media, shows ACO officials dragging a visibly distressed Singh from the Chilh police station premises. “Listen to me, I won’t go, I’ll return the money,” Singh can be heard pleading, a stark contrast to his earlier bravado.
This arrest marks the second high-profile anti-corruption operation in Mirzapur within a week. On February 22, Sub-Inspector Shakeel Ahmad of Jigna police station was apprehended for accepting a Rs 5,000 bribe linked to an illegal mining case. The back-to-back incidents suggest a concerted effort by the ACO to dismantle a culture of graft that has long plagued the district’s police force. Sources indicate that the Uttar Pradesh government, under pressure to improve law and order, has directed stricter oversight of police conduct, particularly in rural areas like Mirzapur, notorious for administrative lapses.
The case also raises troubling questions about access to justice for victims of serious crimes. Yadav’s ordeal—forced to negotiate a bribe to seek redress for his niece’s alleged rape—underscores how corruption can exacerbate the trauma of vulnerable citizens. “It’s a betrayal of public trust,” said a local activist, speaking on condition of anonymity. “When police officers exploit their power like this, it’s the common man who suffers most.”
As the investigation progresses, authorities are likely to probe whether Singh’s actions were isolated or part of a broader racket within Chilh police station. The ACO’s success in this sting operation may embolden more citizens to report similar abuses, potentially exposing deeper systemic issues. For now, Mirzapur residents await justice—not just for Yadav’s niece, but for a policing system meant to protect, not prey upon, those it serves.
