Couple accuses cops of Rs76 lakh ‘theft’

Nagpur: A couple from backward community has accused city police of colluding with their landlord to steal and damage their belongings, including research material, valued at Rs76 lakh. The couple levelled the allegations at a press conference on Monday.
The couple, Shiv Shankar Das and Kshipra Uke, were staying as tenants of Tushar Lambe at Bajaj Nagar. They had lodged a complaint of theft, criminal trespass, and damage to their belongings, including research materials, data and other crucial documents like birth certificates, passports and foreign currency worth Rs2.25 lakh, at Bajaj Nagar police station on September 9, 2018.

Das and Uke had moved into the residence of Lambe as tenants in 2015 under an agreement for 11 months. The dispute between the couple and Lambes began after the end of the rent agreement. Subsequently, a legal notice for eviction was also sent by Lambe to the couple, which led to a civil dispute in the court.

While filing the complaint, the couple had claimed three cops of Bajaj nagar police station had broken the lock of their house while they were in Delhi and shifted the belongings and documents on September 8. They also told the police the three cops were acting at the instance of their landlord Lambe, with whom Das and Uke were already engaged in a legal battle over the rented property.

After a long struggle, the cops had invoked charges under Atrocities Act against Lambe, and also booked him for theft. However, the involvement of the cops was never made part of the FIR, even after our statements were recorded repeatedly, said Das and Uke. The couple had also approached National commission for scheduled castes. “The Joint CP helped us register the crime, and CP transferred the case to crime branch. But no cop has been booked so far,” he said.

They told the media they have sent 50 applications, met officers of different ranks 55 times, and also furnished 10 statements, but no action was initiated against cops. “So far, the case has shifted among nine investigation officers of various ranks and police units. First we faced social ostracism as the landlord wanted to evict us, and then police department have deprived us of justice,” said the couple.

Das and Uke were flanked by supporters of Bhim Army party during the press conference.

DCP (crime) Sambhaji Kadam said that an investigation is underway.

The couple has demanded that the state government should compensate them, provide jobs, and arrest the errant cops.