Sat Jul 05 11:22:39 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary of the text, followed by a news article based on the information:

**Summary:**

A complaint has been filed with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) alleging that police officers in the Varthur area of Bengaluru are extorting money from migrant workers and small business owners. The police are accused of threatening to falsely accuse individuals of violating The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). Shopkeepers and daily wage earners, primarily migrant workers from West Bengal, are reportedly being forced to pay weekly or monthly bribes to avoid harassment or arrest. The complaint includes audio and video recordings as evidence. The complaint also cites another incident where two policemen were suspended for extorting money from a differently-abled man, highlighting a pattern of corruption within the Bengaluru police force.

**News Article:**

**Bengaluru Police Accused of Extortion in Migrant Worker Colony**

**Bengaluru, July 5, 2025** – The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is investigating allegations of widespread extortion by police officers in the Varthur area of Bengaluru. A complaint filed with the SHRC details claims that police are systematically demanding bribes from small business owners and migrant workers, primarily from West Bengal.

According to the complaint, officers are threatening to file false cases under The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) against shopkeepers who fail to pay weekly or monthly bribes. The payments range from ₹200 to ₹3,000 per shop, impacting over 100 businesses in the Varthur migrant workers’ colony. The complainant included audio and video recordings allegedly documenting the police officers collecting bribes.

One complainant stated, “Police are collecting weekly and monthly bribes from small vendors, shopkeepers, and daily-wage workers. This is being done openly, and under threat of arrest or harassment if payments are not made.” He also alleged that police forcibly took his fingerprint machine and were demanding ₹23,000 to return it.

This complaint comes amid growing concerns about police corruption in Bengaluru. Recently, two policemen from the Indiranagar police station were suspended after being accused of extorting ₹37,000 from a differently-abled man by threatening to frame him on drug charges.

The Lokayukta has also reported an increase in complaints against police personnel, primarily related to corruption and dereliction of duty. The SHRC investigation into the Varthur allegations could further expose potential systemic issues within the Bengaluru police force.

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