Forty Thane traffic cops shunted to control room

Wardens are contractual employees engaged by the Traffic Police to assist them in their duties.

In a major sweep, the Thane Police on Saturday transferred 40 personnel from the Mumbra Traffic unit to the Control Room, after allegations of bribery surfaced against them. Earlier this week, a video of a traffic warden demanding bribes from motorists at Shil Phata near Kalyan went viral on the internet.

Wardens are contractual employees engaged by the Traffic Police to assist them in their duties. A subsequent inquiry found prima facie evidence indicating that the warden in the video was acting on behalf of the police personnel. 

“The transferred personnel, including a police inspector and several constables, were transferred as a punitive measure and also to ensure that they do not interfere with the ongoing inquiry into the matter,” a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Hundreds of vehicles pass through the Shil Phata and Mumbra Bypass junctions on a daily basis, and preliminary inquiries have indicated that bribes were collected from motorists on a daily basis through the wardens.

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