[apachelongbow]

Surprised to see police behave like this!! I imagined that the cops are extremely polite when dealing with expensive cars, I am amazed at how they treated you like this when you were in an Audi!!! My personal experience with cops has been that they routinely stop me if I am riding my bike or driving a small car, but the moment I am in my SUV they don't mess with me, may be driving a white SUV helps...
You shouldnt have given to the cops extortion. Breaking a red light, rash driving or lane cutting are not jailable offences and when the inspector threatened to arrest you, you should have called his bluff and dialled your lawyer.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Surprised to see police behave like this!! I imagined that the cops are extremely polite when dealing with expensive cars, I am amazed at how they treated you like this when you were in an Audi!!! My personal experience with cops has been that they routinely stop me if I am riding my bike or driving a small car, but the moment I am in my SUV they don't mess with me, may be driving a white SUV helps...
You shouldnt have given to the cops extortion. Breaking a red light, rash driving or lane cutting are not jailable offences and when the inspector threatened to arrest you, you should have called his bluff and dialled your lawyer.

Gone are those days where the fancy car meant you could escape trouble - and rightfully so!
Heck - I get over-scrutinised more often at a check point when driving a BMW/Skoda than when I drive the Toyota. Just depends on the mood of the cops - maybe they're used to these fancy cars in So.Bo.

Honestly - if there is CCTV footage available, I highly recommend you fight this case out - if not for yourself, but for others.

[Dry Ice]

Is video from dashcam really admissible in courts? Even if not admissible in courts, the video might help if circulated to the media. They usually love such incidents and would not shy away from playing this 1000 times over in a day - indirectly putting pressure on the higher ups to take some action.

[mac187]

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. This is blatant abuse of power and misuse of the law. While it may be easy for us to ask you to fight it out, I can't imagine the situation you were in, getting harassed by these arrogant officers.

I would still suggest you to have a lawyer look into this as the data, documents they have collected from/ about you can be used by them again for another cock-a-mamie case against you. God forbid, but you may be looking at a legal summon on the whole thing again.

[stuntfreak]

Thank you all for your support.

I had been to the police station today (was supposed to go ahead to the court from there), but the senior is absent today. So the situation has been pushed to tomorrow.

I have got myself a good lawyer, will keep you'll updated.

Thanks once again.

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Is video from dashcam really admissible in courts? Even if not admissible in courts, the video might help if circulated to the media. They usually love such incidents and would not shy away from playing this 1000 times over in a day - indirectly putting pressure on the higher ups to take some action.

The exact same incident happened to my father in bombay just two days ago. Like I mentioned, all my cars, except the one I was driving, have dash cams. The minute the Cop pulled over my father and said that he had broken the signal, my father showed him, that he has a camera in the car and the cop is welcome to come have a look. He was released immediately.

A friend of mine had a accident in his Duster on Mumbai - Bangalore Highway, at 80 kmph when an auto rickshaw attempting to cross perpendicular to the highway was blown away with his car. He was proven non guilty and walked away due to the footage from the Dash cam.

I guess they help.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Gone are those days where the fancy car meant you could escape trouble - and rightfully so!
Heck - I get over-scrutinised more often at a check point when driving a BMW/Skoda than when I drive the Toyota. Just depends on the mood of the cops - maybe they're used to these fancy cars in So.Bo.

Honestly - if there is CCTV footage available, I highly recommend you fight this case out - if not for yourself, but for others.

I see your point, but please note I was at Standstill at a signal, behind the stop line, with a completely legal car, that's on my name.

But I still agree with you, stay low profile, have a V8 transplanted in a Opel astra, you will be more happy than a 2.5 i6 in a BMW.

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

Surprised to see police behave like this!! I imagined that the cops are extremely polite when dealing with expensive cars, I am amazed at how they treated you like this when you were in an Audi!!! My personal experience with cops has been that they routinely stop me if I am riding my bike or driving a small car, but the moment I am in my SUV they don't mess with me, may be driving a white SUV helps...
You shouldnt have given to the cops extortion. Breaking a red light, rash driving or lane cutting are not jailable offences and when the inspector threatened to arrest you, you should have called his bluff and dialled your lawyer.

I did try complaining to the Anti corruption dept, but they said I have to file an application. I was unable to contact any one helpful at the moment due to some issues in my phone's contact list.

Originally Posted by hybridpetrol

Sorry to hear your state of affairs buddy. We sincerely hope you get out of this situation soon.

I do not think having dash cam would have been of any help here. Since as you said the entire case, from breaking the first signal to driving at 200 kmph and parking in BRT lane was fabricated, because you questioned the initial bribe, if they know you had the dash cam with recordings of a group of traffic constables pulling you over for nothing and making you violate laws, wouldn't they be able to put you under more severe trouble?

A few years back, in Bangalore, I was stopped by a constable in my bike. He said, I had to pay fine, because, I was riding without helmet. I was puzzled, as I was wearing helmet. Then he told me, I was riding helmet on a particular day, which was about one year before that date near a particular signal, and showed me a digital device partially, as if it was proof for that. (Showed me careful enough, so I cannot read anything from it).
The point is, I have never been to that place in my life till now, and I have never ridden without helmet, as I usually take my bike only to office trips and the like, and for everything else, I just walk. And nobody rides my bike as well.
So, what did I do? Paid the Rs.200 bribe and moved on. Shameful, but this how I managed the situation, and moved on. Probably, if I had questioned him to show me the device properly, where he has the offence details, I might have ended up in more trouble like you.
In India, it is unimaginable the heights people go, if they do not get their "rightful" bribe.

You are absolutely right. I'm searching for a good driver (very difficult to find someone who even knows the rules. Barely anybody even knows the meaning of Lane Discipline)

Originally Posted by ani_meher

This is a scary ordeal. I must say this is the extreme I have ever read a traffic cop can go in MH. I hope there is no 'other side' that is not presented, though.

Maharashtra has the highest amount of issues when it comes to Cops and Gundagardi.

Originally Posted by NPV

Very well said, having been in a similar situation like this, I can confidently say that one has to accept certain things (& compromise sometimes) and get yourself out of the mess. The damage once done, cannot be completely corrected/reversed even if you've not done anything wrong really in the first place.
It takes a toll with follow ups, court case, lawyers, police and the like. And luck too plays a major factor even if you can find some higher officials who are ready to listen to you and help out to the best of their abilities.

Luck, Destiny, all play a very important role. Even if I was not wrong this time, may be in the past some time I must have been rash. So that's that.

Originally Posted by srishiva

I had a dash cam and removed it thinking its just a novelty :(

Its very sad that you had to go through this. Looks like they had decided to screw someone on the day and you were the victim. The problem is that in our system, things can actually get worse as you move through it when it should be the contrary. It becomes a challenge to them and they screw you more and more.

Get over with this and move on.

Kindly have it re-installed .

Originally Posted by gautamkhadse

For incidents like these , I wish we had a whatsapp group , where a person in distress could post a message in the group and call out for help .

-Dash cams in todays times are a must . It helps in times of accidents as well .

-Good point about not carrying cash . I never carry cash , I always rely on my cards . No matter what .

-I could go on , but am gonna tell you something , let this be a learning . Lets try and beat the system at its dirty games . Why give up the most fav thing in the world , driving and resprt to cabs .

You're just letting the system win , brother.

Hey, good idea regarding the whatsapp group! Thanks for that. I'm going to be working on the same very soon.

Driving isn't much of a pleasure on most of Indian roads. It isnt giving up driving, it's being safe and happy that matters. Lets keep the fun on the track.

Originally Posted by bhardwhu

It is indeed painful to go through this ordeal. i suggest that you take out time and meet with the IPS officer, incharge of the zone that this place falls in. I have had interactions with bureaucracy at that level and generally speaking, I have been able to get these subordinate officials to apologize or pay up as the case may be. You might have to meet in person and that will consume some of your time but once these constable and PI would be pulled up, the effort should be worth it.

I have been trying to meet multiple people, but what i have realised is that it is a very big chain. I would just like to stay away from all of this.

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Hey stuntfreak, very sorry to hear about your ordeal. For the benefit of us bhpians in Pune, could you please share the location where this happened? It would be helpful for most of us to be cautious at this junction.

This happened on the new BRT road in Sangvi at Rakshak Society Chowk.

Originally Posted by Sheel

Twice, this has happened twice.

First time, the traffic constable waived me to come over & then stopped saying you broke the signal. Luckily, in my passenger seat, I had a big fleet operator who took the constable and inspector by horns and they backed off.

Second time [partially my mistake] I was trying to cross when the signal had just turned to amber from green and as soon as I crossed the zebra [am dead sure] it was manually converted to red [seeing an outstation car] and was stopped. Must say, cops were polite & I got away with Rs. 350 challan + Rs. 50 as fees for someone who would deposit papers in bank.

Dash cams are important, yes. Do not look at the cops and take them head-on when you know you can get away. Else, treat them like God.

Well said. Thanks.

Originally Posted by drsingh

Unfortunately there are no checks and balances in the system. And your Audi just makes you a lucrative target for extortion.

If your time and peace of mind is more valuable than the bribe being asked, pay up and vent on a forum like this.

Unfortunately your Audi also makes sympathy from passerby and fellow citizens less forthcoming. And these people take advantage of exactly that. Lack of citizen activism.

I hope a citizen group in your city can take up this matter.

I would atleast write to the Human Rights Commission if I was I your place.

But first I'd recommend you to consult a prudent lawyer and ask him the best way to approach the court . If you neglect this and prolong matters without a proper response , the court may come to the conclusion that you have bribed the system to make this serious charge go away.

Thanks a lot.

Originally Posted by harry10

So sorry to hear what happened to you. What I have learned and implemented all these years dealing with cops is to pay the bribe. Ya, ethically and morally it's a wrong thing to do. But we don't live in a foreign country where we can complaint or sue the govt. They have the power, they abuse it and we bear it. That's the hard naked truth and I believe all of us live with it everyday.

Next time pay the 100,200 or whatever nominal amount there is and close it there and then. No point stressing yourself and your family all the way cos in the end you will pay and that too more. I also learned it the hard way.

Also, you are right. Their egos are on such a high peak it's better to agree that you broke the law even when you didn't. Cost of living in our country.

Originally Posted by GrammarNazi

You didn't do anything wrong. Some jealous people looted you & will get away with it.

Think of it like life's speeding ticket & forget it. Crap happens, dogs bite off sometimes.

Or maybe consider it as the cost that a decent person has to bear to protect his reputation.

But please forget it & try to keep living life to the fullest.

Thank you very much.

Originally Posted by john doe

I have on occasion ( like everybody else driving/riding in India) been stopped by cops in Pune/ Mumbai. This incident as narrated by you is so far out of character for police in our city/state that I dont know what to make of it.

In my experience , keep cool, talk politely , be firm if you disagree with the cops and really, nothing will happen.

Of course, know the law too. If I am not mistaken, all traffic cops can confiscate your license and issue a receipt for the same. To pay the fine, you will have to go the Police Station.

You did not mention what car you were in, was it a MH car, where in Pune this happened?

It is an Audi TTs, MH12 registered in My name. I was driving in Pune.

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Stuntfreak,

I feel really bad for you on reading about this incident.

However, It seems strange these cops would go to such lengths to make a buck, especially against someone who seems to have a lot of money/maybe contacts. Before handing over your license, did you not ask why your license was being demanded?

I feel you should not have signed any forms or anything at all until you could get a lawyer present at the police station. Since you could call a friend, you should have asked him to call/get a lawyer.

Maybe you have some contacts - higher police officials/lawyers/newspaper people who you could go to with the correct side of the incident and get these people into hot water. Since all junctions have CCTV camera's your story will get verified easily. If you allow them to get away with this rubbish, it will encourage them to do so again and perhaps against somebody who may not be able to retaliate the next time.

This is my opinion mate, you went through the scary ordeal. Please think things over very carefully before your court appearance.

All the best and hope the truth wins.

Will keep you posted. Thanks a lot.

Originally Posted by Manoj2268

Couple of years ago, My Karizma was seized by the cops when it was parked outside my house in the dead of the night. They had the gall to tell me that the bike was seized U/s section 66 DElhi Police act.

When I went to get it released, I was harassed to no end. I was told that the bike will be challaned even though I showed them the pics I had taken the day before which Clearly showed my bike parked outside the gate. Then the cretins told me to get an order from the magistrate from the Rohini courts after submitting an application to the ACP first, in hindi.

I had to reluctantly make some calls which made the cops realize that they were not to take me lightly and released the bike without fuss(but not without damage). I then knew that there is no one more vengeful then a cop who's ego has taken a bad hit. I come home around 4am everyday and my bike is stopped and checked everytime those cops are stationed at the picket nearby. I then found out that Delhi cops abuse this section 66 very rampantly. Search ZIPNET website. Even though the Higher ups are educated and willing to listen, the constables and people at the Station, Ugh!!!

[kkkkkaran]

I remember a case from a few years ago, published in the newspapers. Dont remember which city. 2 occupants in a car were stopped at a checkpost/naka. They were asked to pay 1000 rupees bribe without any fault of theirs. They argued, and towards the end were challaned for NOT WEARING A HELMET.

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by stuntfreak

I see your point, but please note I was at Standstill at a signal, behind the stop line, with a completely legal car, that's on my name.

But I still agree with you, stay low profile, have a V8 transplanted in a Opel astra, you will be more happy than a 2.5 i6 in a BMW.

Buddy,

Wasn't saying you are at fault at all. Was just pointing out to another member that driving a fancy car doesn't mean that a cop will turn a blind eye towards you anymore.
Heck - I would still drive the Skoda/BMW over the Toyota just because they are so much more fun to drive (and I doubt a V8 Astra would be as reliable as a daily ought to be ). Such incidents keep on happening, but we should learn and keep on going!
That's why I recommend fighting it out, and having the CCTV videos make the point for yourself. If the cops won't listen, the judge will.

[bullrun87]

This sort of thing is very common in some places. The cops in Chandigarh show now leniency in harassing drivers. I have observed that the more you argue, the fatter the amount you will have to shell out in the end.

Once a cop stopped me at 11pm for using high beams.When I showed him that I was using low beams, he argues that my low beams are too high . How is that possible in a three month old accident free car? Does maruti not know how to make headlights? I have found it best to simply pay up what they ask with some bargaining and avoid all the hassles.

[msk016]

Extremely sorry to hear about your ordeal man. Power in the hands of a wrong person can have disastrous consequences. I have personally paid a bribe like this quite a few times
I have also seen power being abused in every aspect of life including shipping and literally all over the world. In the US, the immigration authorities will just pick one crew member and not let him go ashore in port, inspire of having a valid visa.
Yesterday in China, a port state inspector gave me 2 deficiencies which were not valid, I challenged his decision and ended up with 3 instead
He even bluntly told me to my face that the ship belongs to a company which is not friendly to China, hence was being targeted.
Anyways, I would only suggest that you take this as bad karma and move on.
Power corrupts & absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[drmohitg]

Frustrating to hear your story. But I honestly feel that you should not let it just pass. The amount to which the cops have seem to go to harass you is unheard off. To the extent that a part of me still doesn't believe your story in its entirety. Atleast write a complaint to the highest ups. More so if there are actually CCTV cameras installed at those junctions.

[1lokesh]

Sorry to hear that stuntfreak. This is the sad state of affairs in this country, which will become more serious if not confronted. While I respect your suggestions / recos of paying up at the first instance, I would rather confront the cop. Because if not - he will be more confident in pulling off this on his next prey. Then there will be one day where he would not think twice to repeat this again and recruit more and more colleagues in this eventually making it a big racket
Would suggest you to FB/tweet/email this whole incident to Kaushal Kumar Pathak, Commissioner of Police,Pune and the CM of Maharastra. May be they will notice and take action. Here's the link to Pune police's contact us page: http://www.punepolice.gov.in/content/contact-us in case you wish to take this forward.

And yes, Actioning immediately your advice of Dashcam. I have been lazy all this long, but no longer.

Hope

[stuntfreak]

Dear supportive team bhpians,

Attached are some pictures of newly installed dash cams in my car. One for the front view - wide angle, one at the rear , and one semi wide cockpit cam. Also covering people outside the drivers windshield.

Take care guys.

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Frustrating to hear your story. But I honestly feel that you should not let it just pass. The amount to which the cops have seem to go to harass you is unheard off. To the extent that a part of me still doesn't believe your story in its entirety. Atleast write a complaint to the highest ups. More so if there are actually CCTV cameras installed at those junctions.

I don't blame you as my story seems too un realistic, but it's true.

Anyways thanks.

Originally Posted by 1lokesh

Sorry to hear that stuntfreak. This is the sad state of affairs in this country, which will become more serious if not confronted. While I respect your suggestions / recos of paying up at the first instance, I would rather confront the cop. Because if not - he will be more confident in pulling off this on his next prey. Then there will be one day where he would not think twice to repeat this again and recruit more and more colleagues in this eventually making it a big racket

Would suggest you to FB/tweet/email this whole incident to Kaushal Kumar Pathak, Commissioner of Police,Pune and the CM of Maharastra. May be they will notice and take action. Here's the link to Pune police's contact us page: http://www.punepolice.gov.in/content/contact-us in case you wish to take this forward.



And yes, Actioning immediately your advice of Dashcam. I have been lazy all this long, but no longer.



Hope

Thanks.

[Engine_Roars]

Sorry to hear about what you had to go through. Thank you for sharing this for the benefit of this community, much appreciated. I have always maintained and I mean it when I say that I love my country, however instances like these make me question my beliefs, my love for this country. I have been thinking of getting a dash cam installed, however I could not convince myself to invest my hard earned money on a not so important gadget but you have given me a reason, and a very important reason at that. Hopefully, I will have it installed sooner than later.

[rakesh_r]

I live in Pune . It hurts me to hear such incidents. I would suggest not to let this case off easily. I know it's easier to just say but off late am hearing lot of such incidents and am sick of this.
In such situations "connections" do help a lot.I don't blame people putting up stickers like Police,army.navy etc on their vehicles. These beggars are not only egoistic but also like to get that sadistic pleasure of people to beg for mercy in front of them. I would suggest, give in first but only to strike back with full force sometime latter.
Off late I invested and bought a dash cam for my car.Looks like I need to buy a basic gopro which I can attach to my helmet while riding my bike.

[stuntfreak]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

I live in Pune . It hurts me to hear such incidents. I would suggest not to let this case off easily. I know it's easier to just say but off late am hearing lot of such incidents and am sick of this.
In such situations "connections" do help a lot.I don't blame people putting up stickers like Police,army.navy etc on their vehicles. These beggars are not only egoistic but also like to get that sadistic pleasure of people to beg for mercy in front of them. I would suggest, give in first but only to strike back with full force sometime latter.
Off late I invested and bought a dash cam for my car.Looks like I need to buy a basic gopro which I can attach to my helmet while riding my bike.

Originally Posted by Engine_Roars

Sorry to hear about what you had to go through. Thank you for sharing this for the benefit of this community, much appreciated. I have always maintained and I mean it when I say that I love my country, however instances like these make me question my beliefs, my love for this country. I have been thinking of getting a dash cam installed, however I could not convince myself to invest my hard earned money on a not so important gadget but you have given me a reason, and a very important reason at that. Hopefully, I will have it installed sooner than later.

There are cheaper dash cams available. Right from Rs 1500 to 25000.

There's a good Pune based company that has good options too

Take care.