Bihar IPS officer behind Netflix thriller booked for corruption

Senior Inspector General of Police (IGP) Amit Lodha, whose book inspired crime series ‘Khakee: The Bihar Chapter’, has been booked for corruption and criminal conspiracy over his commercial deal with Netflix.

A 1998-batch IPS officer, Lodha was booked by the state vigilance unit on Thursday for concealing the actual payment he received as part of the contract.

He allegedly signed the contract with production house ‘Friday Story Teller’ for ₹1 but received ₹38.25 lakh in the bank account of his wife Koumidi.

The police officer was charged under section 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) and 168 (public servant unlawfully engaging in trade) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The vigilance unit said that Lodha flouted norms by entering into a commercial agreement while serving as a government officer.

The web series ‘Khakee: The Bihar Chapter’ is based on Lodha’s book ‘Bihar Diaries’. The Netflix thriller narrates who the police caught a notorious gangster who had created a reign of terror in Sheikhpura district of Bihar.

The FIR said that Lodha, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, was not authorised to write a book and use the same for commercial purposes. It also alleged that the IPS officer was found involved in many other “illicit financial transactions” since his posting as the Inspector General of Police in Gaya.

The matter will be further investigated by an officer of the level of the deputy superintendent of police (DSP), officials said.

A native of Jaipur, Lodha made headlines for successfully bringing the infamous ‘Mahto gang’ of Sheikhpura to justice. Led by Ashok Mahto alias ‘Gabbar Singh of Sheikhpura’, the gang was responsible for the killing of sitting MP Rajo Singh along with several other high-profile individuals in 2005.

In past interviews, Lodha said that he decided to join the civil services as he did not ‘fit in’ IIT Delhi’s environment. He cracked the USPC entrance in his first attempt, a rare feat for most of the aspirants.

As his troubles mounted, Lodha, known as ‘super cop’ tweeted on December 6: “Sometimes life can throw you the most difficult challenges, particularly when you are right. It’s during these times your strength of character is reflected. Need your prayers and support to come out victorious.”