After a hardened criminal picked up by Mumbai police from Pratapgarh spilled the beans in their custody saying some policemen in UP were on his payroll, the state police here have started an inquiry against an inspector posted with the ATS in Allahabad, and two constables in the district police while a sub-inspector in Pratapgarh has been placed under suspension.

The department is also probing their assets and bank accounts.

While the ATS will probe the allegations against its inspector, H B Singh, Pratapgarh SP Mohit Agrawal has suspended sub-inspector R N Upadhaya, who was the station officer of Jethwara police station in Pratapgarh.

“On the instructions of Additional Director General (Law and Order) Brijlal, inquiries have been initiated in Pratapgarh and Allahabad against the policemen,” said Allahabad IG S K Shukla.

The ATS office at Allahabad has been asked to assist Lalit Kumar Singh, additional SP of ATS in Varanasi, who is conducting the inquiry against Singh. The additional SP refused to share details of the ongoing inquiry. The local ATS is learnt to have collected documents regarding the inspector’s bank accounts and properties.

The matter came to light recently after the Mumbai police, in a secret operation, arrested Rehmat Ali from Pratapgarh on October 19. Ali is said to be involved in more than 10 criminal cases in Mumbai, including those of murder, loot and robbery, and allegedly has links with the underworld and worked as a contract killer.

During interrogation, Ali allegedly told the Mumbai police that H B Singh and RN Upadhaya and the two constables used to tip him off whenever Mumbai police came looking for him. In turn, he paid them.

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