Delhi cop suspended in bribe issue

NDTV: "Most of us have at some time or the other been asked to pay a bribe for things ranging from a passport to a gas connection.

But imagine having to pay the police to get back the body of your own relative who has killed himself.

NDTV caught an inspector of the Delhi police on tape who demanded and took Rs 26,000 for returning the body of Himanshu Sharma to his family.

Following NDTV's expose, the Delhi police have suspended Inspector Satya Raj for demanding the bribe.

It also warned of strict action against the Inspector, if found guilty.

Himanshu Sharma killed himself two weeks back, and for his mother the nights have since been long and sleepless.

Her husband died earlier this year and ever since then, her 34-year-old son had been feeling the strain.

The B Com graduate ran a small momo delivery shop near their home in Delhi's Ashram area but that was doing badly.

He was unable to pay back bank installments for a motorcycle he had bought in June. His family claims men hired by the bank would come to the house and harass them for the installments.

On 16 October they took away Himanshu's motorcycle.

"A lady used to keep calling and people used to keep coming home," said Shanta Sharma, victim's mother.

Himanshu had been using the bike to ferry vegetables to his shop but now he was forced to haul them on his back.

"That day he was carrying a very heavy load on his back and people were laughing at him on the way. He could not bear this," said Neetu Sharma, Himanshu's wife.

The public humiliation after a series of financial setbacks proved too much pressure for Himanshu.

Something snapped in him that day and he came home and hung himself.

But his suicide was just the beginning of a nightmare for his family.

Inspector Satya Raj from the local police station, who was assigned as the investigating officer, contacted Himanshu's brother.

But it was clearly not a routine call.

"On the day of the death he told me to call him up at 8:00 pm (IST). When I called, he told me that the doctors at AIIMS wanted to take Rs 3000-5000 to perform the autopsy. Also the labour would take Rs 2000 to ensure they took out our body right at the start and perform the autopsy.

"He also threatened us that he could apply section 302 (murder) to the case," said Vishwa Sharma, victim's brother.

The family was asked to pay up Rs 15,000 in all.

"My family decided to give the money so that my brother's body could be cremated with respect. However deep inside I was seething with anger because nothing wrong had been done in my brother's case," said Kamini Sharma, Himanshu's sister.

After Himanshu was cremated, Inspector Satya Raj surfaced again. This time he demanded another Rs 10,000 to ensure the autopsy report said the death was a suicide and not murder.

That was when the terrified family contacted NDTV.

With a hidden camera we accompanied Himanshu's brother and a friend to the Patiala House court to meet the inspector who arrived and immediately demanded the money.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reacted to the story, saying that the allegation, if true, raises a serious issue of dignity of the dead and violation of human rights of the next-of-kin of the deceased.

However, before proceeding further in the matter, the Commission has directed the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to submit a factual report in the matter within one week.

The case is a harsh reminder of how sometimes law enforcers themselves turn law breakers, harassing those who are trying to come to terms with the loss of a loved one."