Cop alleges manhandling by Navi Mumbai police chief

Sawant,a constable for 10 years,said Singh and his wife had gone to Inox to watch a movie. “After Sir got off the vehicle,his wife was about to get down when a Nano honked from the rear. The driver told me to move the car,to which I replied – ‘I am moving it,Sir’. I did not know who the driver was,but I have been taught to address a common man also as sir. After the third time,the driver shouted and asked me to move the car; I replied back in a raised voice that I was moving the car… After my boss’s car had been moved,the driver of the Nano raised his voice and called me to his car and asked for my name and mentioning my boss’s name. When I heard my boss’s name,I knew that I was dealing with a well connected man. The driver then held my collar and said… Tu jaanta hai mein kaun hoon…mein Navi Mumbai ka CP hoon (Do you know who I am…I am the Navi Mumbai CP)…

Sawant adds,“… then,I recognized the man as Ahmed Javed. Javed Sir then threatened me.”

Javed confirmed that he was in the Nano outside Inox and had raised his voice at the constable. However,he denied that he had threatened the constable or caught him by his collar. “I was in my relative’s car. I saw that an official vehicle was blocking the road. The officer in it had come to watch a movie and was not on an official visit. As a common man,I told the constable to move the car but he did not pay any heed. I agree that after asking him thrice I did raise my voice,but there is no question that I would threaten a constable. This accusation is completely false.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Nandkumar Chougule said,“The application has been taken from me by my superior,the Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic).” Joint commissioner Vivek Phansalkar refused to comment on the issue.

Police sources said in keeping with procedure in such cases,deputy commissioner of police (Operations) Rajkumar Vhatkar has requested Singh to place his remarks on the matter on record as he is Sawant’s superior officer.