Came to know about fresh probe via media: UP IPS officer Anirudh Singh

Meerut (UP): An IPS officer, against whom a fresh probe has been ordered after an old video of him allegedly demanding money from a businessman had gone viral on social media, on Monday said he came to know about the investigation through the media.

The 36-second video purportedly showed Meerut SP (Rural) Anirudh Singh, who was then posted in Varanasi district, demanding money from a businessman.

"I have nothing to say at the police headquarters ordering an inquiry against me in the matter," Singh told PTI. "I came to know about the re-investigation by the Director General of Police's office only through the media." Asked whether he will take any legal action in the matter, Singh said he will think about it later.

After the video circulated on social media on Sunday, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav attacked the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, asking whether it will now take "bulldozer" action against the IPS officer. Since Yadav's tweet, a probe has been ordered against Singh.

"After this video of an IPS demanding money in UP, will the direction of bulldozers change towards him or will the BJP government get rid of the matter by adding one more name to the list of absconding IPS? The people of UP are seeing the reality of BJP's zero-tolerance towards crime," Yadav had said, sharing a 10-second portion of the video.

उप्र में एक आईपीएस की वसूली के इस वीडियो के बाद क्या बुलडोज़र की दिशा उनकी तरफ़ बदलेगी या फिर फ़रार आईपीएस की सूची में एक नाम और जोड़कर संलिप्त भाजपा सरकार ये मामला भी रफ़ा-दफ़ा करवा देगी।

उप्र की जनता देख रही है कि ये है अपराध के प्रति भाजपा की झूठी ज़ीरो टालरेंस की सच्चाई। pic.twitter.com/JsMAhzRFPU

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) March 12, 2023

Meerut police replied to Yadav's tweet, saying, "This video is over 2 years old and does not have any connection with Meerut. Probe has been completed in the matter." Later, the DGP issued a statement saying they are probing the contents of the video.

"A video of Shri Anirudh Singh, IPS officer appointed as SP Rural in district Meerut, is going viral in which he is seen conversing with a person through video call. On the basis of the said video, allegations of corruption are being levelled against Singh," the statement said.

"The said case is 2 years old, but in view of the seriousness of the case, the police headquarters has inquired about it from the Commissioner (Varanasi) and sought a report within 3 days," it said.