Under normal circumstances , this would not have been my new post on my blog, but lucknow police has forced me to drop my ongoing project and write against them.
Though I am not a critic of the police force and I rate them in high esteem, but my experience on 12/7/09 has made me change my opinion for the men in khaki.
On the above mentioned date, I along with my electrician and driver was coming from charbagh when on the hazratganj crossing the light turned red and we were on the zebra crossing, being an honest citizen I asked my driver to reverse a little in accordance with the traffic laws. When my driver was reversing, a home guard jawan without my prior permission sneaked onto the rear seat of my car and ordered my driver to drive to the check post.
When I asked why and how did you came inside the car he said “zayda mat bolo sahib ko batana”. I asked my driver to do as he was saying; I wanted to see what he was actually up to. When he reached near the check post he said “sahib ke pass jao ge ya hum settle kar dein”. I said I will deal with your (so called) sahib. After entering the check post he walked to Raju Singh a constable in the Lucknow traffic police. He said to me in the roughest possible manner that I will have to pay RS.1000 as fine for breaching traffic laws.
I said to him “will you please tell me what laws I have breached.”
He replied : “zayada jaban mat chalao abhi sara kagaj le ke rakh lenge tho sahi ho jao gay”.
My driver signaled me to cool down.
Then he talked to Raju Singh and asked me to give him RS.100. I said that ask Rajuji to go for challan I will contest the case in court but will not give a single penny as bribe, come what may.
The sub inspector who during all this argument was eating his share of banana said that “court mein paisa dein dengey hum ko de ke mamla jaldi khatam nahi kareingay”
I said “you should have stopped him from this illegal practice being his senior officer but you, yourself are a part of this corrupt practice, and you do your work. I am son of a lawyer I know how to handle cases in the court, I will make sure I am not paying unjustified fine and people responsible for causing trouble to me will have to answer to court.
He yelled “court ki daus dikahte ho hum ko”
I replied “court ki dauns nahi reality batiyee hai”
Before this conversation could have taken up an ugly turn one more sub inspector who had came in barely 3 minutes ago said me to take my paper and leave. He then asked his counterpart to cool down.
He (in a rough manner) said to Raju Singh to return me my papers and behave properly.
After this scolding from his senior I could easily see anger on his face and his inability to disobey his senior.
His senior murmured “sale minster ke gaon wale hain”
I picked up my paper and walked out.
Will anybody tell me who will pay for my lost time and mental harassment.
After today’s experience I have lost the faith I had in the police department.
I can only hope that this comes to the knowledge of some top official and he takes some harsh steps in order to discourage people like Raju Singh.
syed shadab hussaini
