New Delhi: Delhi Police has filed an FIR against IPS officer Shanker Choudhary following an extensive vigilance inquiry into allegations of kidnapping, illegal detention, and extortion against him. The FIR was filed on the complaint of joint commissioner (southern range) Sanjay Jain. An FIR against a serving IPS officer in Delhi Police on corruption charges is rare. Mostly, the junior constabulary faces the anti-corruption heat.Choudhary earlier served as DCP Dwarka in Delhi before being posted to Mizoram. He was also involved in a controversy involving a woman who claimed she was injured during a brawl at a pub involving Choudhary.The latest case stemmed from a series of events on Nov 26, 2023, when the officer allegedly conducted an unauthorised raid in Delhi without informing local authorities or obtaining a warrant. During the operation, he reportedly apprehended a Nigerian, identified as Harrison, at his residence and allegedly held him in illegal custody at Mizoram House in New Delhi for three days.The matter came to light on Nov 29, 2023, when Harrison’s wife contacted Delhi Police, reporting that her husband was abducted by Mizoram Police personnel who were allegedly demanding a ransom of Rs 35 lakh. In a suspicious turn of events, Harrison was released shortly after the police complaint was filed, the FIR said.The vigilance department conducted an investigation. A thorough review of CCTV footage revealed that Choudhary was personally involved in removing a locker and two bags from the victim’s house. However, these items were never mentioned in any official recovery memos or govt records, and Harrison’s three-day stay at Mizoram House was entirely omitted from official logs.The investigation implicated three Delhi Police constables who allegedly assisted the IPS officer in the unauthorised operation. The FIR highlighted that no documents were maintained to justify the detention, and the procedural lapses suggested a coordinated effort to extort money, rather than conduct legitimate law enforcement action.
