Was X-Bar raid a bargaining tool?

When police raid the infamous X-Bar in Kathmandu last week, many had praised the steps taken by Nepal Police to stop illegal activities. The praise however was short-lived when Samir Gurung, president of an organization of night business holders, accused the raid as a result of their unwillingness to pay money to the police.

Gurung told that some police officers ask for up to Rs. 1000 per business per day.

Another businessman Subash Limbu told that the X-Bar is still in operation from the next day of the police raid. He accused police of using raid as a bargaining tool.

According to Nagariknews, spoke-person of municipal police, Madhav Nepal, told that the businessperson should contact the higher authority of the police force if somebody asks for undue advantages. He told that the police is willing to punish such corrupt police officers, if any.

It is everybody’s guess that many of the police officers are taking money to allow the businesses to run such illegal activities. I wouldn’t be comfortable complaining a police about another police officer and that too when you are running an illegal business. Well, in my opinion, the spoke-person Nepal’s talk sounded more like a challenge to point out the corrupt officer, rather than the sincere request to find and punish the corrupt police officers.