Inquiry against 3 senior Mumbai cops for framing 4 in extortion case

DNA; Divyesh Singh; Sunday, December 26, 2010,

The Mulund Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Friday ordered the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Bhandup division to register a case under 156 (3) of the CrPC against three officers of the Kanjurmarg police station.

Kanjurmarg police arrested Sharwan Ram Khichad, his wife Pushpa and neighbour Mithilesh Mishra on October 15 on charges of demanding extortion of Rs1 lakh from Jagdish Jakhar.

According to Khichad, Jakhar had been making advances towards his wife. Jakhar then forged the documents of Khichad’s address and electricity connection and got it transferred to his name. Khichad filed an RTI and came to know that Jakhar had forged his signatures and reported this to Kanjurmarg police but the officers did not register his complaint.

Advocate S R Dubey said, “When Jakhar came to know that Khichad had reported his act to police, he wanted to seek revenge and conspired with few police officers of the Kanjurmarg police station. Jakhar then got Khichad, his wife and a neighbour booked in an extortion case.” Khichad said he was tortured by police, and that policemen misbehaved with his wife.

While going through the case details, it came to light that Kanjurmarg police, according to their register, had received information about the crime at around 7.50pm. But the arrests were made at 7.30 pm. This raised suspicion and magistrate SS Nair ordered that the ACP of the concerned division should investigate the matter. The accused police officers are inspector Mahadev Salunke, assistant police inspector Mathure and ASI RN Phalke.

The court ordered the concerned police station take appropriate action against Jakhar and six others of his family, who had forged signatures. A report on the documents made by Jakhar regarding sale of Khichad’s house and transfer of electricity metre forging his signature was found and handwriting experts proved that the signatures were forged. The police officials, against whom the inquiry has been ordered, could not be contacted for comment.