An official said that the inspector was most likely to be placed under suspension pending a departmental inquiry. (Representational)

A police inspector currently posted with the Special Branch of the Pune City Police was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly taking illegal possession of a flat worth Rs 1.6 crore from garment trader for not taking action against him in case of cheating.

A First Information Report in this case has been registered at Khadki police station against Inspector Rauf Shaikh, now posted with Special Branch and who was with the Economic Offences Wing of Pune city police at the time of the offence. His son and three more persons have been booked in the case which has been registered under sections pertaining to extortion, cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust by public servant and criminal intimidation.

The sequence of events took place between June 2017 — when the case was registered, till December 2019. During this time, as part of the proceedings, many immovable and movable assets of the complainant and his associates were freezed following a court order. However, the higher courts had revered the asset freezing action.

Sambhaji Kadam, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime and Economic Offences) said, “The accused police inspector took illegal possession of a flat owned by the complainant, by way of intimidation of action, cheating and forgery. His son had been staying in the flat.”

In spite of having lost the flat to the inspector, the complainant was arrested and spent time in prison. He approached Pune police after his release, following which an inquiry was launched. The findings of the inquiry led to registration of an offence at Khadki police station and the inspector Shaikh was placed on arrest on Tuesday night. An official said that the inspector was most likely to be placed under suspension pending a departmental inquiry.