A US journalist, who claimed the police beat him up after taking him for a car thief three days ago, left the country on Friday morning, demanding an inquiry into the incident and $500,000 compensation for the “torture” he underwent.

“I request a thorough inquiry into the six or seven hours of beating and torture I endured at the hands of the policemen,” the journalist, Joel Elliot, said. He also sought the removal of the police officials responsible for the incident.

The police had earlier denied Elliot’s allegations. Officials said he beat up an elderly driver and two police personnel at Jangpura in Southeast Delhi around 3 am on Tuesday.

Elliot claimed he was taken to AIIMS after the incident but was not allowed to call the US embassy despite repeated requests. He also submitted a petition to the National Human Rights Commission through his lawyer and friends. A copy of the petition was forwarded to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal, sources said.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said: “Let us see the report and its contents first — we cannot jump to conclusions. We will contemplate action as per law.”

Earlier in the day, Bhagat had said the police had received no complaint from Elliot.

The Caravan, the Delhi-based magazine Elliot worked for, also issued a press statement, along with his pictures showing injuries on his thighs, the broken front tooth and stitches on his forehead.

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