Raid & 6cr extortion: Cops didn’t inform I-T

Thane: The 10 Mumbra police who allegedly raided a toy dealer at Mumbra and siphoned Rs 6 cr had failed to inform the income tax authorities on the recovery of Rs 30 crore, the suspension order revealed.
On Wednesday, Thane police suspended three officers, inspector Geetaram Shewale, PSI Ravi Madane, PSI Harshad Kale, constables Pankaj Gaikar, Dilip Kirpan, Pravin Kumbhar, Ankush Vaidya , Nilesh Salunkhe and Jagdish Gavit, for their alleged involvement in extorting Rs 6 crore after carrying out the ‘raid’ at an apartment in Mumbra from where they seized Rs 30 crore in boxes on April 12.
These boxes were allegedly brought to Mumbra police station and to hush up the matter, the cops took Rs 6 crore and returned Rs 24 crore.
The incident triggered a huge controversy after which the Thane police commissioner suspended the 10.
In the suspension order, the Thane commissioner’s order mentioned that the suspended cops participated in the raid and the station diary mentions ‘toys’ being brought in the boxes. The order stated that after the verification of the CCTV footage of the senior inspector cabin’s, it was found that inspector Geetaram Shewale opened one box and kept cash from the boxes and there were no toys as mentioned. Also, the officers did not initiate the legal action under 41 (1)(d) of the CrPc.
The order stated that ideally, the income-tax authorities should have been intimated which the suspended cops did not. A senior police officer said, “We shall inform this to the income-tax department.”
Sources said central agencies are likely to pitch in considering the gravity of the case. Police said statements of some persons were being recorded. —Nishikant Karlikar