A swift and public backlash on social media, triggered by video evidence captured through a tourist’s smart glasses, has led to the suspension of three Gurugram traffic police officers accused of soliciting and accepting a bribe from a Japanese national.
The incident, reported by The Indian Express, occurred on August 25th when the tourist, Yamato, was riding pillion on a motorcycle with a female friend.
He noted that while his friend was wearing a helmet, he was not, a common sight among other riders on the road that day.
Their journey was interrupted by traffic police stationed near a U-turn, who stopped them and demanded an on-the-spot fine of Rs 1,000 to be paid in cash.
According to the account detailed by The Indian Express, the officers refused to accept a digital payment or by card, claiming their point-of-sale (PoS) machine was non-functional.
They also declined to issue any official receipt for the transaction. Yamato eventually handed over two ₹500 notes and the officers were filmed counting the cash, with one appearing to smile.
Before allowing the pair to leave, the policemen took down the woman’s phone number, instructing her to call them directly if she were stopped again elsewhere.
That evening, Yamato posted about the encounter on X (formerly Twitter), calling it the “only scam” he experienced during his trip in India and labelling the payment as “pocket money” for the officers. He pointedly questioned why he was singled out when “so many people here were without helmets.”
The story, however, took a decisive turn beyond a simple text post. Unbeknownst to the officers, Yamato had been wearing Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, which recorded the entire interaction in high definition, clearly capturing the faces of the personnel involved.
On Monday, the travel content creator posted a first-person video account of the incident on his Instagram, where he has a significant Indian following.
The footage was quickly reposted to X, where it went viral after users tagged Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and senior Gurugram police officials. The subsequent online outrage was intense and immediate.
The pressure yielded results with remarkable speed. As reported by The Indian Express, the Gurugram police authorities responded on social media later the same day, acknowledging the incident and requesting further details.
The official handle of the Gurugram Traffic Police posted a statement affirming a “Zero Tolerance Against Corruption” policy and announced the immediate suspension of three officers: Zone Officer ESI Karan Singh, Constable Shubham and Constable Bhupender. The post also provided contact details for reporting corruption, emphasising confidentiality and promising swift action.
In a follow-up post, Yamato expressed amazement at the timeline, noting that the suspensions were issued just nine hours after the video began circulating virally.
He credited the “outraged Indian followers” who had relentlessly shared the post and described the episode with wry humour as a “funny” end to his otherwise scam-free travels.
However, the police’s disciplinary action has not satisfied all observers. Some social media users questioned the long-term efficacy of a suspension, with one comment on X asking, “Suspension means half salary for a few months... After a few months the fire comes down and they might also get the remaining half salary. What’s the point of suspension?”
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
