Three police personnel, including a station house officer (SHO), have been suspended in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh to secure the release of a man taken into custody in connection with the abduction of a minor girl from Kolkata, officials said on Saturday.

The suspended officers include Matera police station’s Station House Officer Surendra Kumar Baudh, Sub-Inspector Vishal Jaiswal and Constable Awadhesh Yadav. Departmental proceedings have been initiated against all three after a preliminary inquiry found the allegations against them to be prima facie true.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Durga Prasad Tiwari said the action followed a complaint lodged by Munijar Singh, the brother-in-law of the alleged kidnapper. According to the police, the case relates to the kidnapping of a girl from Kolkata who was later traced to Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh.

As per official accounts, the accused, identified as Gajendra Singh, allegedly kidnapped the girl from Kolkata and brought her to Bahraich. The girl was reportedly kept at the house of Gajendra’s brother-in-law, Munijar Singh, in Dhanoli Gaura village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Matera police station.

Following the disappearance of the girl, her family lodged a kidnapping case under Section 137 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Madhyagram police station in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. Acting on the complaint, a team from the West Bengal Police travelled to Bahraich on January 11 to trace the girl.

The West Bengal Police team, in coordination with the local Matera police, successfully rescued the girl from Dhanoli Gaura village. After the rescue, Gajendra Singh, Munijar Singh and the girl were brought to the Matera police station. Police subsequently obtained a remand order from a local court in the case.

It was after these developments that the allegations of bribery surfaced. ASP Tiwari said that Munijar Singh later contacted the anti-corruption cell helpline of the Inspector General (IG), Devipatan Range, alleging that he had been asked to pay ₹1 lakh to secure his release from police custody.

Taking cognisance of the complaint, IG Amit Pathak ordered a detailed and confidential inquiry into the matter. “The inquiry found that the allegations against the three police personnel were prima facie true,” the ASP said.

Based on the findings of the inquiry, the IG ordered the immediate suspension of the three officers on Friday. Alongside the suspensions, departmental proceedings have been initiated to determine their culpability and to recommend further action based on the outcome of the disciplinary process.

Police officials also confirmed that the ₹1 lakh allegedly taken as a bribe has been returned to the complainant. The recovery and return of the money formed part of the preliminary action taken after the complaint was verified, ASP Tiwari said.

Senior police officials said the case was being treated seriously, as it involved allegations of corruption in a sensitive matter relating to the abduction of a minor. They emphasised that the police force would not tolerate misconduct or abuse of authority by its personnel.

“The department has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. Strict action will be taken against anyone found misusing their position, especially in cases involving serious crimes,” an official said.

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over alleged corruption at the local policing level, even as senior officers reiterate their commitment to transparency and accountability. Officials said further action in the case would depend on the findings of the ongoing departmental inquiry, and additional legal steps could be taken if required.

Meanwhile, the rescued girl has been handed over to the appropriate authorities, and further legal proceedings in the kidnapping case are being carried out in coordination with the West Bengal Police.