Three Delhi policemen punished for harassing property dealer

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Three Delhi Police personnel have been sent to the police lines for allegedly harassing a property dealer after keeping him in illegal custody, police said Friday.

Sub-inspectors Hemant and Anoop along with constable Lokesh were sent to the police lines Thursday following the registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act against them by the vigilance department following a statement by the victim Ishwar Singh.

"The policemen illegally kept Ishwar Singh hostage inside the Mahendra Park police station and harassed him for not buying a controversial plot. They said a man was killed a few days ago while dealing in the plot and also threatened the victim with arresting him on the charge of murdering that man," said a police official, as per the victim's statement.

Ishwar claimed the policemen released him after taking Rs.5 lakh as bribe from him, said the official.

A resident of Prashant Vihar in west Delhi, Ishwar had gone to buy the plot in the last week of June.