Rishikant Shukla, Deputy Superintendent of Police, was suspended after an SIT investigation uncovered a Rs 100-crore illicit asset empire. The probe reveals deep-rooted corruption, intimidation, and collusion with a criminal syndicate in Kanpur.
In a stunning revelation that has rocked the Uttar Pradesh Police, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rishikant Shukla has been suspended following an SIT investigation that unearthed assets worth nearly Rs 100 crore allegedly amassed through corruption, intimidation, and deep-rooted criminal collusion.
The probe has exposed how Shukla, once celebrated as an encounter specialist, allegedly used the fear of police encounters to extort property, silence victims, and build an illicit real estate empire across Kanpur.
THREATS, FALSE CASES, AND FEAR
According to testimonies collected by the SIT and multiple victims, Shukla systematically threatened builders, businessmen, and property owners by invoking his reputation as a dreaded encounter officer. Victims claim that he would trap people in false cases and force them to transfer their land or assets into his name – often at gunpoint.
One of the victims, Manohar Shukla (no relation), recounted how he lost land valued at Rs 60-70 crore. “We had purchased the land together,” Manohar said. “When the price rose, Rishikant offered Rs 7 crore for my share. I agreed because my wife was battling cancer. But when I went to collect the money, he pointed a pistol at me and said, ‘You won’t get any money.’ He took everything.”
Manohar claims there are many others too afraid to come forward, fearing the same fate.
COLLUSION AT THE CORE
The scandal deepens with Shukla’s alleged collusion with Kanpur-based lawyer and alleged criminal mastermind Akhilesh Dubey. According to police sources, Dubey ran a powerful syndicate with several officers, including Shukla, at its centre.
Dubey, leveraging his influence in the legal and police circles, would implicate people in fabricated criminal cases and then extort large sums in exchange for relief. Shukla, during his tenure as inspector in Kanpur, allegedly executed many of Dubey’s operations—filing false rape and land-grab cases to pressure targets into surrendering property or money.
Together, they settled numerous land disputes through intimidation, extortion, and fraud, amassing massive tracts of property across the city.
LAUNDERING THE LOOT
The SIT investigation has also revealed that Shukla funnelled his illicit earnings into Dubey’s construction company, using his wife, Prabha Shukla, as a front partner. The firm, according to officials, served as a money-laundering vehicle for ill-gotten wealth accumulated through years of extortion and manipulation.
Two other DSPs posted in Kanpur are also alleged to be partners in the same firm, which continued its business operations even after the officers were transferred to other districts.
“These officers invested crores of rupees in the construction company, using it to legitimise their black money,” an SIT officer said on condition of anonymity.
POLITICAL PATRONAGE AND THE SHIELD OF POWER
Despite mounting allegations over the years, no action was taken against Shukla until now – largely, sources say, due to his political connections and protection from powerful leaders.
This was evident earlier this year when Shukla hosted his son’s wedding at one of Kanpur’s most luxurious resorts. The guest list reportedly included senior police officials, MLAs, MPs, and local party leaders, underscoring the influence he wielded within both bureaucratic and political circles.
