How Did Delhi Police Dismiss Constable Ankit Kasana Overnight Without A Hearing?

On the night of 19 April 2023, according to the complaint that became FIR No. 228/2023 at Sagarpur police station in South-West Delhi, a man named Rajnish was at his flat watching an IPL match with his girlfriend when four persons arrived claiming to be from the “Cyber Police Station.

They allegedly slapped and threatened him, took mobile phones, forced a friend to transfer one lakh rupees into his account, removed ten lakh rupees and a gold chain from a cupboard, obtained debit cards and PINs, and made him write a note about Bitcoin mining before leaving in a small white car.

The FIR invoked Sections 394 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery, with common intention. Four of the five accused were soon identified as Delhi Police constables. One of them was Ankit Kasana, who had joined the force as Constable (Executive) on 26 February 2020 and was posted at Parliament Street police station.

Ankit Kasana has maintained that his name did not appear in the original FIR and that he was falsely implicated. The police version records his arrest on 20 April 2023 (he has said 21 April) and suspension from the same date. A preliminary enquiry conducted by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, without Ankit Kasana’s participation, and concluded that he was involved.