'Will frame you in drug case': Mumbai cop threatens protesters, suspended after video goes viral

Mumbai Police have initiated an inquiry after a viral video surfaced on social media allegedly showing a police personnel threatening detained student protesters with being falsely implicated in a narcotics case if they participated in future demonstrations linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).

The video, shared on Thursday by the Mumbai Congress on X, has intensified scrutiny of the police's handling of student protests that have taken place over the past several days at locations including Shivaji Park, Chembur and Azad Maidan.

In the video, a group of young protesters can be seen seated inside what appears to be a police vehicle after being detained during a demonstration. A uniformed policeman, seated in the front, is heard warning them against returning to the protests.

"If you are seen again here, I will ruin your lives," the officer allegedly tells the students. He is then heard saying that he would falsely implicate them in a drug case.

"I will put 50-50 grams of powder in your bags and your life will be finished," the policeman allegedly says in the video, while also expressing frustration that the protests had made his job more difficult.

Taking note of the video, Mumbai Police said an inquiry has been ordered to verify the authenticity of the recording and ascertain the circumstances under which the remarks were made.

Pending the outcome of the investigation, the police driver seen in uniform in the video has been removed from his current posting. Officials said appropriate departmental action would be taken if the allegations are substantiated.

Sharing the video on X, the Mumbai Congress alleged that police personnel were threatening student protesters with fabricated criminal cases to discourage them from participating in demonstrations.

"If this is true, it is not merely an attempt to intimidate students but a direct attack on democratic rights. Students deserve answers to their questions, not threats," the party said in its post.

The controversy comes amid growing criticism of Mumbai Police's methods of preventing repeat participation in the CJP-led protests. In recent days, several protesters have alleged that police have contacted them directly, visited their homes and asked them to share their live locations through WhatsApp to ensure they did not return to protest sites.

Police have also issued notices under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) to some protesters, directing them to appear for questioning in connection with earlier demonstrations.

While police maintain that these measures are preventive and aimed at maintaining public order, lawyers and civil rights groups have questioned their legality, arguing that such actions raise concerns over privacy, due process and the constitutional right to peaceful protest.

The inquiry into the viral video is currently underway.