Nagpur: Assistant Police Inspector (API) Ravindra Shedge, attached to the Cotton Market traffic division, has been suspended following allegations that he demanded ₹1,500 from an employee of a private travel operator. The action followed a complaint received by the city police and the emergence of a video clip purportedly showing the alleged transaction, triggering a stir within the police department.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar conducted an inquiry into the complaint and submitted a report to Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangre Patil. Shedge was suspended following the inquiry report.

The incident has once again brought the spotlight on allegations of illegal collections by traffic personnel from private travel operators and vehicle owners in parts of Nagpur. Tourist buses operate in large numbers around Baidyanath Chowk, the bus stand area, Amravati Road and Cotton Market, where allegations of such collections have been circulating.

There have been claims that some traffic personnel demand payments to avoid action against vehicles violating traffic regulations, including tourist buses and goods vehicles carrying loads beyond their permitted capacity. An alleged intermediary, identified as Umesh, has also been named in these claims.

However, the broader allegations of systematic collections and the alleged intermediary’s role have not been independently verified.

Shedge’s suspension comes amid renewed scrutiny of traffic enforcement practices in areas witnessing substantial movement of private buses and commercial vehicles. The allegations against him prompted departmental action following the inquiry, while the broader claims of illegal collections remain to be established.