Jailor, constable suspended over allegations of favouring undertrial

“The two have been suspended pending the inquiry as they are likely to otherwise interfere with the inquiry,” an official said. The officials said the inquiry will be to find out if there were any financial consideration for the two staffers for the undue facilities and if yes, how much. Further, the officials are also looking into allegations of whether the staffers went beyond their duties in committing or omitting any acts which favoured Chakraborty, including in allocation of food, space or guards for visits to court or hospital.

Chakraborty was first arrested in 2011 when she had allegedly claimed to be daughter of the then West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya to cheat people. She was granted bail in some cases filed against her and re-arrested in a case filed by the Powai police based on a complaint of cheating in 2018.

Earlier this month, in a separate case, a prison constable was suspended after his arrest on allegations of trying to supply charas to a prisoner at Mumbai Central Prison, popularly known as Arthur Road Jail. In July too, three officials of the prison department were suspended after phones were found with prisoners at Kalyan jail and Yerwada jail in Pune.

Meanwhile, crime branch officials in Nashik on Friday questioned Shiv Sena leader and former mayor of Nashik city, Vinayak Pande in connection with the case of Lalit Patil. Pande is the first politician questioned by the police in connection with the multiple ongoing investigations related to Lalit Patil, currently in Mumbai Police’s custody.

While probing Patil’s case, the police came across the name of one Arjun Pardeshi, as one of the aides and driver of Patil.

Since Pardeshi also worked as driver for Pande for over a decade, the police has summoned Pande to check if he has any links with the drug mafia.

Pande, however, claimed he was questioned only about his connection with Pardeshi and nothing else. Speaking to media after the questioning at the police commissioner’s office, Pande said, “Police asked me about Arjun Pardeshi, who is related to Lalit Patil. I told them that Arjun Pardeshi was my driver for 10 to 12 years. I sacked him as he could not see properly in the nights due to his sugar problem.”

He further said, “I became (party’s) member of the core committee recently. When Lalit Patil joined Shiv Sena, I was not holding any position. It was Shiv Sena’s city chief at that time who got him in the party.”

Pande said, “If the police call me again for questioning, I will cooperate with them.”