Date: Night of July 24-25th
Time: 1 – 1.30 AM
Place: Ballia District, Uttar Pradesh – At Bihar Border
Under the cover of darkness, trucks laden with goods flowed continuously across the border in the Ballia District. Many of these trucks carried sand and gravel obtained through illegal mining. At a point away from the border, two individuals flagged down a truck driver and climbed aboard, posing as Khalasi (helpers).
As the truck neared the border checkpoint, a group of policemen halted it, demanding bribes. When one of the supposed helpers questioned the demand, the officer in charge reacted aggressively, threatening him and insisting on the payment. In response, the two individuals disembarked and revealed their true identities. The officers were stunned as they discovered that these ‘helpers’ were DIG Vaibhav Krishna from the Azamgarh zone and ADG Piyush Mordia from the Varanasi zone. The revelation sent shockwaves through the local police, leading to immediate chaos. In the ensuing disorder, the corrupt officers were detained and arrested on the spot.
The meticulously planned raid – executed with the precision of a spy thriller – had been so covert that the Ballia police had no inkling of the operation. The news of this dramatic intervention quickly spread, creating a stir among police forces across surrounding districts. The operation, executed with the flair of a cinematic plot, involved reconnaissance, a disguise, and a decisive action.
Indian Masterminds spoke with DIG Vaibhav Krishna, a 2010 batch IPS officer, to gain insights into this high-stakes operation.
THE PLOT
The Azamgarh division is one of the 18 administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh, comprising the districts of Mau, Ballia, and Azamgarh. Ballia district, located on the border between Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, had recently been plagued by extortion at the Bharouli intersection and within the Narhi police station area and Korantadih outpost. However, this extortion was not the work of criminals or gangs but rather carried out by the police themselves.
Despite the senior officers’ awareness of the ongoing corruption, no action had been taken. Upon learning of the situation, DIG Vaibhav Krishna took it upon himself to gather concrete evidence and promptly informed ADG Piyush Mordia of the unfolding scandal.
THE PLANNING
Preparations for this operation had been underway for several days. Once the extent of the corruption was revealed, the officers swiftly moved into action.
They embarked on a meticulous reconnaissance mission, gathering detailed evidence on the extortion routes, the methods employed, and the amounts being collected.
“We first conducted a thorough reconnaissance, meticulously gathering evidence on the extortion routes, the methods used, and the amounts collected,” explained DIG Vaibhav Krishna. “With this information in hand, we devised a detailed and foolproof plan.”
Under the plan, DIG and ADG would personally board a truck, disguised as Khalasis. The accompanying police team would remain at a strategic distance, prepared to intervene if anything deviated from the planned operation. This setup ensured that any unexpected developments could be swiftly managed.
THE EXECUTION
Following the meticulous planning, a 24-member police team, led by both officers, conducted a covert raid. The entire operation was kept secret, with even the SP of Ballia, Dev Ranjan Verma, an IPS officer of the 2011 batch, remaining unaware. After executing the plan and exposing the extortion racket, the officers arrived at the Korantadih police outpost during the night. This post is located just before the Bharouli intersection, where extortion was also taking place.
Upon witnessing the senior officers’ presence and recognizing the gravity of the situation, the corrupt policemen fled the station.
Simultaneously, a major crackdown unfolded as the team apprehended four officers caught in the act of extortion at the Korantadih police station, which has been temporarily suspended in light of the scandal. Among those arrested were Constable Haridayal Singh from Narhi and Constable Satish from Korantadih. In a sweeping operation, authorities also took into custody 16 brokers linked to the extortion network, unraveling a complex web of corruption.
“We are pursuing all necessary legal actions in this matter and are committed to preventing such incidents in the future. The police force will be revitalized, and a stern warning has been issued to ensure that this does not happen again,” DIG Vaibhav Krishna told Indian Masterminds.
ACTION
In response to the incident, the government has taken action by removing the SP and ASP of Ballia, placing both officers on indefinite leave. The police have registered cases against 23 individuals, including the Station Officer of Narhi, the outpost in charge of Korantadih, five constables, and 16 brokers.
DIG Azamgarh’s PRO, Sushil Kumar, has officially filed this case at Narhi police station.
The investigation revealed that approximately 1,000 trucks pass through this border daily. It has emerged that the Narhi police station was involved in an illicit extortion scheme, amassing around Rs 1.50 crore per month. The DIG has confirmed that each truck was subjected to an illegal fee of Rs 500.
When asked how such a large extortion racket had persisted unnoticed by senior officers, DIG Vaibhav Krishna responded, “An inquiry has been initiated. We will take appropriate action based on the findings. No one will be spared.”
