‘Justice Won’t Come From Internal Probe’: Lucknow Constable Appeals to CM Yogi

A constable posted in the Lucknow Police Commissionerate has released a second video within 24 hours alleging widespread corruption in the police system and demanding an independent investigation instead of a departmental inquiry.

Constable Sunil Kumar Shukla , a 2015-batch officer currently posted at the Reserve Police Lines , addressed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directly in the video shared on social media. He questioned the fairness of the ongoing internal probe, claiming that the officers he accused are themselves overseeing the investigation.

“I appeal for an investigation by an impartial agency,” Shukla said, referring to the allegedly corrupt officials as “Kale Angrez” (Black Britishers).

The controversy began after Shukla’s first video went viral on Thursday. In it, he alleged that constables and head constables are forced to pay around Rs 2,000 per month to duty-in-charge officials to secure assignments. He further claimed that the money collected is passed up the chain of command to senior IPS officers.

A science graduate from Allahabad University , Shukla has been posted in Lucknow since August 2022 and is currently on 20 days’ earned leave .

The Lucknow Police Commissionerate denied the allegations, stating that deployments are made according to a strict Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) under the supervision of gazetted officers. Police officials have constituted an inquiry committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Police Lines , promising a fair and detailed investigation.

However, Shukla insists a departmental inquiry cannot be impartial due to the seniority of the officers allegedly involved. The allegations have sparked political discussion and renewed debate over transparency and accountability within the police system.