The policemen claimed they had taken action against the boy and the girl under the anti-Romeo drive.

Two policemen were suspended on Tuesday for allegedly taking bribe from two cousins, whom they had detained during the Uttar Pradesh Police’s anti-Romeo drive in Rampur last week.

When contacted, the SP of Rampur, K K Chaudhary, said Sub-Inspector Sanjeev Giri and Constable Vimal Kumar had been suspended on charges of corruption. “The two policemen were seen taking bribe from a young boy and a girl, whom they had detained. Though there is no official complaint against the policemen, departmental action has been taken against the two after a video showing them taking bribe went viral,” he added.

According to reports, Giri and Vimal had detained a youth and his uncle’s daughter, both aged around 18, when they came to Rampur to purchase medicines from Hashmat Ganj village. The policemen claimed they had taken action against the boy and the girl under the anti-Romeo drive.

The two were kept at a police outpost for a couple of hours, said sources, adding that the policemen refused to let the cousins go even after their relatives clarified that they were relatives and not a couple.

“The policemen allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 5,000 to free the boy and girl. The relatives gave the amount and also filmed the two accepting the bribe,” said the SP. The kin of the victims later approached local MLA and Minister Baldev Singh Aulakh, who informed the SP about the incident.