A sub-inspector was suspended on Tuesday following evidence from a sting operation that he was demanding bribe from a medical representative and threatening him with a police case.

The bodyguard of a probationer deputy superintendent of police (DSP)-rank officer led the operation after the officer received an order from senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaaj to follow up on a complaint lodged in the matter.

Medical representative Manish Kumar had complained that Patrakar Nagar sub-inspector Vinay Kumar impounded the bike he had borrowed from a friend on Sunday to go to a hospital. Vinay claimed Manish was creating a ruckus, and threatened Manish saying the hospital was about to lodge a case against him. Once Manish found that wasn't the case, he went back to confront the officer. But Vinay demanded bribe to release the bike.

Maharaaj suspended the sub-inspector on Tuesday after going through the video footage recorded by the DSP's bodyguard on his cellphone. Vinay is absconding since he was caught on camera.

"My friend, Manish Kumar, is a medical representative and lives in Kankerbagh. On Sunday, I was going to my village for some personal work and Manish requested to borrow my bike," said private firm employee Gaurav Kumar.

"That evening I got a call from him that my bike had been impounded by the police and that they were asking for money to release it. Manish said he didn't have the funds the cop was asking for. I contacted Manish after returning to Patna on Tuesday and found that he had informed the SSP."

Manish had gone to a private hospital in Munnachak locality under Patrakar Nagar police station on Sunday afternoon with one his relatives. SSP Maharaaj said: "At the hospital, he got into an argument with some hospital staff. Vinay had reached the hospital by then and impounded the bike on the pretext that Manish was creating a ruckus. The officer took the bike to the police station and told Manish that the hospital was about to lodge a case against him."

"Manish went back to the hospital to check with the authorities. When the hospital administration said they were not lodging any case, he went back to Vinay only to be told Manish had to pay Rs 25,000 to get back the two-wheeler."

Repeated requests from Manish all of Monday fell on deaf ears as Vinay insisted he would not settle for anything less than Rs 10,000 to release the bike. Maharaaj said: "The police received the complaint on Tuesday and DSP Vandana Kumari was instructed to look into the matter. Dressed in plainclothes, Vandana and her bodyguard accompanied Manish and Gaurav to the police station. Vandana kept a safe distance, while the bodyguard went up to record the conversation between the duo and the cop. As Vinay negotiated, he saw the bodyguard recording it and became alert.

"He tried to push the bodyguard away and break his device but did not succeed. He ran inside the police station and was followed by Vandana and her bodyguard. Vinay somehow escaped. The video was checked and the allegation was found to be true."

"A case under Prevention of Corruption Act has been lodged against Vinay at Patrakar Nagar police station and he has been suspended from duty," Maharaaj added.

Gaurav has since then got back his bike.