A joint sting operation by a private television channel and a Web site on Saturday claimed that policemen in Uttar Pradesh [Images] were found selling seized arms and ammunition stored at government storerooms for money.

The operation conducted by Cobrapost and Star News in three districts of western UP caught on tape two police inspectors, a constable and a court official offering to sell pistols and ammunition to undercover reporters, a press release from them said.

While an inspector, in charge of a government storeroom at Farookabad, offered to sell a .12 bore countrymade pistol for Rs 2,500, the munsi of Meerut court and an officer posted at Meerut storeroom showed readiness to sell .315 bore pistols for Rs 2,000.

In another case, a police constable posted at Farookabad offered to sell a huge quantity of heroin, which he had seized but not entered in official register, for Rs 80 lakh, the release said.

One of the officials was also caught on camera saying that local police officials also purchase arms from them for lodging false cases against innocent persons, it said.