Bribery on Wheels: The Memari Police Station Incident

Originally Published in Quora on March 24, 2022, at 2:42:05 AM

Short Version: The current officer in charge of Memari Police Station Mr. Sudipto Banerjee hijacked my dad’s truck and asked my father to give 1.5L. Otherwise, He threatened to put 1 bag of Marijuana in the truck.

Long Version:

I approached all local respected people who all suggested complying with the police. I had huge trouble processing this new level of criminal demand. What happened next is a thriller movie but I will just paste the formal complaint I sent to sort of every official I found on the Internet from where you will get the gist.

In short – After I denied giving him money, the officer made up a false FIR (Link is in below) and asked for a remand for my driver for the purpose of physical torture. Today Judge granted interim bail to my driver on the grounds that when there are already invoices present; he can not be put into remand.

Sub: False FIR lodged by police, Demand of bribe and Harassment by Police

Respected Sir/Madam,

I am a resident of Katwa, Purba Burdwan, and own a transport business registered in Katwa.

• My name is Apurba Kumar Ghosh, son of Late Dinanath Ghosh and my address is Station Road, Katwa, Burdwan, 713130.
• My driver’s name is Chandan Das, son of Shyamal Das, Kandi, Murshidabad.

On the date 21 March 2022 night, our truck was coming through the crossing of Satgachia when some police officers ceased our vehicle and arrested our driver.

The Officer in Charge of Memari Police Station and the officer in charge of Satgachia Police Fari initially demanded a sum of 1.5 Lakh. We were also told that unless we give the money he will put 1 bag of Marijuana and put a drug-related case.

We are doing this business for more than 6 years and We have proper GST bills for all the materials.

Firstly We arranged the money in fear but then my son contacted a lawyer and he contacted the Officer in Charge of Memari Mr.Sudipta and asked about the same. The Officer got enraged and instructed the other officers in front of me to file a case against us instead of taking money as a lawyer was involved.

Now, what kind of anarchy we are living in?

Violation of Basic Fundamental Rights of Arrested Person

All fundamental rights have been violated.

1. Right To Know The Grounds of Arrest
2. Right To Be Taken Before A Magistrate Without Delay
3. Right To Consult A Legal Practitioner

Right To Know The Grounds of Arrest

• Communication towards Vehicle Owner – It was more than 24 hours since my driver is arrested. The officer denied giving me a copy of the FIR telling me that I am not “knowledgeable enough” to understand what is written there and told me mockingly that he will give a case of theft although I have a fair education to undergo what’s written in an FIR.
• Communication towards Accused- My driver not only was denied reasoning about his ground of arrest, but He also did not even know his crime even at the time he was produced in the court which covers more than 48 hours.

Right To Be Taken Before A Magistrate Without Delay

Falsification of Time in the Arrest in FIR

As I saw the FIR registered by the Police, I noticed that it was totally falsified as the police claimed that He was taken into custody on 22nd March.

• But it is not true. As said earlier, On the date 21 March 2022 night, our truck was coming through the crossing of Satgachia when some police officers ceased our vehicle and arrested our driver.
• Then, He and our confiscated truck were kept as a bargaining chip. It’s modern-day kidnapping where the lawkeeper public servant demands ransom from law-abiding citizens.

I hereby seek an internal investigation. It can be easily checked through CCTV footage from Satgachia Police Phari as well as Memari Police Station that my driver is arrested on 21 March. The movement of my employees in the aforesaid police stations, as well as my driver’s location from his mobile, can be easily traced from our advanced mobile GPS or cell tower information.

Right To Consult A Legal Practitioner

As my driver and truck were kidnapped by Police on 21st March. My driver was not allowed to right to consult a legal practitioner although We have retained a lawyer.

Fear of Loss of Material of Seized Truck

Please also take necessary steps so that the items do not go missing from the inside of the truck as the police station has a fair reputation for stealing parts and items from confiscated items. All the items inside the truck are accounted for and there are over 20 witnesses who saw the loading of the materials as well as we have the bills of such items.

Withholding Documents and Fabricating False Case

As a transport business, to survive this anarchy of Police, We always kept a copy of the challans in the truck. When it was asked my driver produced it and it is also held in the police station.

Also, despite multiple contacts with them from my side while they were discussing the bribe and threatening us about putting drugs, they did not ask about challans. They are proper GST bills.

Not Following NHRC Guidelines

• The truck was literally kidnapped in between from the road. As my driver communicated with me and can tell in the court, He was dragged from the seat and they drove the truck to their custody.
• My driver was wearing upper innerwear with no T-shirt as it is a common norm to combat the hot temperature outside. Despite multiple asking, He was denied his T-shirt for two nights.

At the time of summoning in the court, he was forcibly made to wear someone else’s T-shirt. In the desperate times of Corona, The Officer in charge of Memari not only has proven his greed by asking for bribes by threatening but also proved his inhuman nature towards another human being.

Falsification of Interrogation Statement

They have also fabricated a story on my driver’s interrogation about procurement because he was not even arrested in the time mentioned and it is provable.

My driver has not been asked anything at all. He was never interrogated. If so, I demand proof of such. These police are the real culprits of Indian corruption and should be punished in an exemplary way.

To be Noted –

1. I also contacted the Officer in Charge in Katwa who is an extremely helpful person around 5:44 PM on 21st March regarding this matter. He said he could not help as it is not under his jurisdiction. Either it proves the fact that I knew about the arrest happened and hence I have a time machine or the police falsified their report.
2. I have petitioned various government bodies with this letter before I became aware of the minute details of FIR. In that document, I have misspelled “Satgachia” as “Santragachi”. I apologize for the same. I made that mistake in a moment of the spur.
3. On 22/3/22, at the mentioned time of arrest, I along with my son were present in the Satgachia Police Phari and Memari PS. The same can be confirmed by our mobile GPS as well as CCTV footage of both Memari PS and Satgachia Phari.

I hereby petition to quash this falsified FIR and demand a criminal investigation for corruption and extortion of money against the officer in charge of Satgachia Phari and Memari. I will be glad if I can be informed on how to bring these officers to justice.

I also demand the release of my truck because Police because GST bills are easily verified over the internet in 5 minutes rather than 5 days which will allow them another bargaining chip to torture us.

Yours faithfully,

Apurba Kumar Ghosh

Vehicle Number – WB41H5408

Attachments –

The following attachments can be seen through the following link –

• The FIR in question is attached to the email. FIR No 152/22. It is filed in Memari PS.
• The invoices in question. We have also submitted the same copies in court.

The next court date is on the 28th. Unless they make up something false and put me also inside jail, I will update the next entertaining sequel of this saga.

Update –

• I thought it was obvious the court dismissed the entire case immediately in the first hearing.
• I have discussed this matter with great length with the Anti Corruption Bureau in West Bengal. Unless You can shoot straight in between my head there is no other way to stop me if I fixate on something.
• I had also found out that the officer Sudipto Banerjee was an English teacher of Behala. Two of my friends live in Behala. I thought to visit him home and ask his father how his son turned out as a criminal infecting the very pillars of democracy. But my dad said to leave and forget.