Explained: The corruption case against Bihar cop Amit Lodha, who inspired Netflix’s ‘Khakee’

Fame comes with a price of its own. And Bihar cop Amit Lodha is learning it the hard way. The Bihar IPS officer became a household name following the release of the Netflix series Khakee: The Bihar Chapter. Now he is hitting headlines again.

A case has been filed against Lodha for corruption and allegedly using his government position for financial gains. After coming under the scanner of Bihar Police’s Special Vigilance Unit, he has now been suspended.

The corruption case

The web series Khakee is based on Lodha’s book Bihar Diaries, which narrates the story of the cop arresting Samant Pratap, one of the state’s most feared ganglords, notorious for extortion, kidnapping and murders.

The 48-year-old police officer is now accused of allegedly taking money for the Netflix show. According to the complaint filed by the Economic Offences Wing of the Bihar Police, Amit Lodha signed a deal with the production house, Friday Story Teller while he was still serving as an IPS officer.

“Amit Lodha is not an established story writer neither he was authorised nor permitted to write a book and use same for commercial purpose,” states the complaint.

The unit alleged that Lodha received Rs 12,372 from the production house, while his wife Koumidi received Rs 38.25 lakh into her account. An FIR filed against the cop states that there was an agreement with Koumidi to facilitate the “transaction of illicitly acquired wealth” when her husband was posted as Inspector General of Police in Gaya. A case was registered against Lodha on 7 December by the Special Vigilance Unit of Bihar under sections 120B and 168 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) along with sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

A day before the complaint was filed against him, the IPS officer had tweeted, “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.”

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

— Amit Lodha (@Ipsamitlodha7) December 6, 2022

Also read: Ex Stream Benefits: From Tanaav to My Policeman to Khakee, revisiting the best on OTT in the month that was

Lodha's rise to fame

Amit Lodha, who hails from Jaipur, studied at IIT Delhi. However, he recalled in an interview that his time at the institution was not pleasant; he claimed to suffer from an inferiority complex as he found it challenging to blend in.

After quitting IIT, he started pursuing UPSC and went on to become an IPS officer in 1988. He quickly rose to prominence as an IPS officer because of his fondness for the people. After serving in Rajasthan, he was posted in Bihar, where he gained popularity among the people. He asked those in trouble to call him directly on his landline number.

Lodha's first brush with fame came after the "Gabbar Singh of Sheikhpura" case came to light. He pursued the notorious Mahto gang (Pintu Mahto, Ashok Mahto), which was accused of various crimes, including the murder of 15 people and breaking into prison after killing two police officers.

For several operations, Lodha received the renowned President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service, the Police Medal for Gallantry, and the Internal Security Medal.

The Netflix chapter

Khakee: The Bihar Chapter is a cop thriller drama that traces the world of crime based on Lodha’s book Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar’s Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught. The Neeraj Pandey-created show features Karan Tacker as the police officer, while Avinash Tiwary essays the gangster.

Backed by Shital Bhatia via Friday Storytellers, the series is helmed by Bhav Dhulia. Besides Tacker and Tiwary, the show also stars Jatin Sarna, Ashutosh Rana, Nikita Dutta, Ravi Kishan, and Abhimanyu Singh in supporting roles.

According to Film Companion, the Netflix show was watched by three million viewers in its first week and continues to be in the global top 10 list.

Meanwhile, Lodha's second book Life in the Uniform was published in 2021, where he recounted his journey of becoming a police officer.

With inputs from agencies

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