Bengaluru Cop Suspended For Taking Bribe, Then Demands 50 Lakhs From Wife

A cop whose duty is to protect citizens from crime is now facing allegations of dowry harassment, domestic abuse, criminal intimidation and assault. 

A Bengaluru police sub-inspector was arrested after his wife accused him of repeatedly demanding Rs 50 lakh from her family, subjecting her to years of physical and mental harassment, threatening her and attacking her father with a machete.

The accused, identified as Bhairappa KS, is a police sub-inspector working at the Bengaluru Police Commissioner's Office. He was arrested on Tuesday after his wife, an advocate, approached the Director General of Police (DGP) with a complaint against him.

Police said an FIR has been registered and the accused has been taken into custody.

"An FIR has been registered and we have secured the accused PSI. He would be produced in court. All allegations are being looked into and a delated investigation is underway," a senior police officer said, news agency PTI reported.

Wife Says Local Police Did Not Register FIR

The couple has been married for five years and has a three-year-old daughter.

According to the woman, she had earlier approached the police station with complaints against her husband. However, she alleged that police registered only a Non-Cognisable Report (NCR) and did not file an FIR.

She claimed that some officers at the station were batchmates of the accused and were trying to shield him. Alleging that no proper action was being taken, she later approached the DGP. The woman also accused her husband of using his influence to prevent police from registering her complaint.

Allegations Of Dowry Demands, Abuse 

The complainant alleged that while the initial years of their marriage were peaceful, her husband's behaviour changed over time and she was subjected to years of physical and mental harassment over dowry demands.

Speaking to reporters, she claimed that after Bhairappa was suspended in a bribery case, he repeatedly demanded money from her family.

She further alleged that he demanded Rs 50 lakh from her family to help him after he was suspended in connection with a Lokayukta bribery case. She also alleged that her father had purchased two cars and given money on several occasions to meet his demands, but the harassment continued.

"He asked me either to agree to a mutual divorce or bring money from my parents. They kept demanding Rs 50 lakh, a house and a site, and harassed me continuously," she alleged.

The woman further alleged that her husband assaulted her several times, abused her, forced her and their daughter out of the house and failed to take care of their basic needs.

The advocate also accused the sub-inspector of criminal intimidation.

She alleged that he threatened to get her killed by criminals. The complaint further states that he frequently cast baseless suspicions on her character. She also alleged that her husband denied the paternity of their child and maintained relationships with other women.

The complainant further alleged that Bhairappa maintained relationships with multiple women and had brought some of them home. She claimed that he promised marriage to other women despite being married and later threatened them when they rejected his advances.

According to the woman, some of these women later contacted her and informed her about his alleged behaviour.

Attack On Father

The woman informed that the latest incident took place on July 12, when her father visited their residence to mediate a domestic dispute. According to her, Bhairappa attacked her father with a machete during the altercation.

She also claimed that despite calling the 112-emergency helpline during the incident, no immediate action was taken.

"Even after elders, including his sister and brother-in-law, tried to counsel him and told him to live peacefully with me, he beat me, created scenes, tore my clothes, and assaulted me," she alleged, PTI reported.

Arrest And Investigation

Police arrested Bhairappa after the FIR was registered. He was previously suspended after being charged by the Lokayukta in an alleged bribery case while serving at the Subramanyapura Police Station in June last year.

Further investigation into the case is underway.