Ex-Army Major alleges harassment by cops during drunk-driving check in Gurugram

A retired Army Major has alleged misconduct and procedural lapses by Gurugram traffic police during a late-night drunk-driving check, claiming that a breathalyser test initially showed a high alcohol reading which later dropped significantly in a retest.

The complaint by retired Major Hemendra Kumar Singh, who served in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and during the Kargil period, has been escalated to senior police officials. The matter has also gained traction on social media, where calls for an impartial enquiry have been made.

According to Singh’s allegations, the incident took place around midnight on Saturday when he was returning home in Sector 88 after dinner with his wife and two minor daughters.

He stated that his vehicle was stopped at a traffic checkpoint near the Cyber Hub area in Gurugram, where officers conducted a routine drunk-driving inspection.

Singh alleged that the breathalyser test was conducted using a mouthpiece that appeared to have been previously used, following which he requested a fresh disposable mouthpiece on hygiene grounds.

He claimed the request was denied, and the same device was used for the test, which reportedly showed a reading of 91 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood equivalent – above the legal limit of 30 mg.

Singh has maintained that he does not consume alcohol and immediately sought a retest.

ALLEGATIONS OF MISBEHAVIOUR AND PHONE SEIZURE

The complaint further alleges that during the checking process, police personnel took his mobile phone while he was attempting to show his driving licence via DigiLocker.

He has also alleged that when he identified himself as a former Army officer and requested clarification from senior personnel present in an interceptor vehicle, he was met with rude behaviour.

A challan was subsequently issued based on the initial reading, according to his account.

RETEST SHOWS READING OF JUST 13 MG

Singh has alleged that after repeated requests, a retest was conducted using a fresh mouthpiece in the presence of senior officers. This time, the breathalyser reading reportedly came down to 13 mg, which is within the permissible legal limit.

Despite this, he has claimed that the earlier challan was not cancelled at the spot and that he was advised to approach the traffic office later for resolution.

At around 1:30 am, as the situation escalated, Singh’s wife reportedly contacted the 112 emergency helpline. Following this, local police arrived at the spot. According to the allegations, the traffic police team then left the location.

The family was later taken to another checkpoint for verification, where they were informed that the breathalyser machine was not operational.

QUESTIONS RAISED IN THE COMPLAINT

The retired officer has raised several questions in his complaint, including:

• Why did the breathalyser reading allegedly drop from 91 mg to 13 mg within a short time?
• Whether the device used was faulty or improperly handled.
• Whether seizure of a mobile phone during licence verification was justified.
• Whether due procedure and sensitivity were followed during a late-night check involving a family with minor children.

Police have not yet issued a detailed public response on the allegations. The matter is expected to be examined at a senior level following the complaint.