Company demands Rs 25 cr from police

Pune: A private company has served a legal notice to Pimpri-Chinchwad and Pune rural police claiming compensation of Rs 25 crore for not registering a theft case, thus allegedly aiding the accused persons. Earlier, the Divisional Police Complaint Tribunal, Pune, had passed strictures against the cops for delay in filling FIR and asked the State Home Secretary to conduct enquiry against the police officers. 

Adv. Balasaheb Khopade and Adv. Vijayalaxmi Khopade issued the notice on June 25 on behalf of Innoventive Industries Ltd, Pune. The company is engaged in manufacture of auto component parts at units located at Pimple Gurav in Shikrapur taluka (under Pune rural police) and Nanekarwadi in Chakan, now under Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate. 

As per the Tribunal order and legal notice, the company faced bankruptcy and thereafter the management of the company was taken over by Ernst and Young. Four managerial level employees along with 10-20 more staff of the company allegedly committed theft of raw materials, finished products, hardware, computers, documents from the factory premises by threatening the security guards with deadly weapons. 

“The total valuation of the stolen goods is around Rs 25-30 crore. Upon receiving information about the theft, Ernst and Young conducted a third party inquiry of the theft. Thereafter, Ernst and Young authorised Ravindra Chavan, Director of Innoventive Industries Pvt Ltd, to lodge a complaint. On November 13, 2017, Chavan went to Shikrapur police station and Chakan police station (then both were under Pune rural police jurisdiction) to register an FIR but the cops refused to register the FIR,” the notice stated. 

Even after running from pillar to post for one year, the case was not registered. Therefore, Chavan approached the Police Tribunal against these erring officers. The Police Tribunal presided over by retired Principal District and Sessions Judge Ramesh Joshi, retired Inspector General of Police Chandrakant Kumbhar and DCP (headquarters) Swapna Gore of Pune city police, heard the matter and arrived at the conclusion that the officers of Shikapur and Chakan police stations have caused a delay of more than one year in registering the FIR wherein they were duty bound to register the same in case of cognizable offence. The Tribunal in order dated May 15 this year asked Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and Superintendent of Police (Pune rural) to take necessary action. 

When contacted, RK Padmanabhan, Commissioner of Pimpri-Chinchwad Police, said, “I am not aware of the details. The zonal DCP will enquire into the matter.”

Pune rural SP Sandip Patil said that he was out of Pune and he will go through the case details before commenting on the matter.