Jitu Navlani case: Cop seeks fresh probe in FIR filed for obstructing arrest

Navlani, who owns a restaurant in south Mumbai, is also accused of accepting over Rs 58.96 crore from various private companies by using the names of Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths and the Anti Corruption Bureau had issued a lookout circular against him last week.

In the 31-page letter to the Commissioner on May 9, Dange has alleged that the investigation conducted against Navlani for an FIR registered in November 2019 was compromised. He said that investigating officer Kishore Shinde had ‘deliberately botched up the investigation’ and ACP Kiran Kale had also submitted a false report in the case.

He said that during the course of investigation, Shinde had recorded the statement of five witnesses in the case eight months after the incident took place where, Dange claimed, Navlani had helped an accused flee from outside his south Mumbai pub. Dange further alleged that the five witnesses whose statements were recorded are either friends or employees of Navlani who all told Shinde that they had not seen him obstruct the police.

He listed out several points to claim that the probe was compromised. Dange further demanded that strict action be taken against the officers who probed the case. He also sought that the Bombay High Court order quashing the FIR be challenged before the Supreme Court.

Shinde refused to comment on the issue while Kale said if there was anything amiss, Dange can approach the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the CBI began its probe in the enquiry against controversial IPS officer Param Bir Singh by recording the statement of inspector Anup Dange who had complained against Singh. While initially the enquiry was being conducted by the Maharashtra Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), following the Supreme Court order, the matter was handed over to the CBI.

A CBI official said a detailed statement of Dange had been registered by the CBI on May 11. Earlier, Dange had said that in November 2019, he, along with his team, had gone to a pub in south Mumbai that was operating beyond permissible hours. He alleged that pub owner Navlani told him that he knew several senior IPS officers, thereby trying to intimidate him. Dange alleged that later Navlani also allowed an accused who was involved in a brawl at the pub on the same night to escape.