The Ghaziabad police have taken disciplinary action against a senior officer after a controversial video from an identity verification drive sparked public outrage. The footage showed the officer pretending a mobile phone was a high-tech scanner capable of instantly identifying illegal migrants.
Inquiry Launched Into Controversial Police Action
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans-Hindon) Nimish Patil confirmed that a strict warning has been issued to Station House Officer (SHO) Ajay Sharma of Kaushambi police station. An official inquiry into the incident has been initiated and will be led by Abhisek Srivastava, the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Indirapuram. The matter has gained significant attention, with officials in Lucknow also seeking a detailed report from the Ghaziabad police force.
The Incident: A Mobile Phone Posed as a 'Truth Machine'
The event took place on December 23 during a document verification drive in the Bhowapur slum area, which houses approximately 50 shanties. While police checked the documents of two to three individuals, the method employed by SHO Sharma drew severe criticism after videos surfaced on social media the following Thursday.
In a 26-second clip, SHO Ajay Sharma is seen with other police personnel and a RAF team. When a resident presented his identity card stating he was from Araria, Bihar, Sharma questioned if he was from Bihar or Bangladesh. As the man insisted on his origin and asked for verification, Sharma claimed to have a machine that could immediately reveal a person's true origin.
A constable then placed a mobile phone on the man's back, and Sharma announced it was "showing Bangladesh." The resident firmly denied this, replying, "No, Sir, we are from Bihar," and asserted that no Bangladeshis lived in the slum.
Contrasting Statements from Officer and Residents
In his defense, SHO Ajay Sharma told reporters that he was not forcing anyone and that no such machine exists. "I didn't say it in the wrong way. I was jokingly saying, 'tell the truth, otherwise the machine will tell.' My only purpose was to know the truth," he explained.
Roshani Khatoon, a resident seen showing her Aadhaar card in the video, offered a different perspective. She stated she has lived in the area for over a decade and said the officer did not misbehave with her. "He said to me he had a machine with a smile on his face… he spoke to me with full respect," she added.
However, a senior police officer clarified that while a security march was conducted during the Christmas and New Year period, there was no specific order from seniors to conduct checks in this manner. Police Commissioner J Ravindra Goud emphasized that the details of the video are being checked. "If any person is found harassed by police, we will take action against the officer," he assured.
DCP Nimish Patil reiterated the official stance, stating, "A strict warning was issued to SHO Sharma, with instructions that such behaviour should not be repeated. All facts are being investigated and further action will be taken as necessary." The investigation continues as authorities examine the full context and implications of the identity check drive.
