Maharashtra Police authority directs probe into activist’s arrest

Lasure had also claimed that the police lost their “illegal collections” made from the illegitimate businesses and in the same year, Constable Shekhar Phartale, then posted at Bhadrakali police station, allegedly threatened to kill him. In 2016, Lasure was provided police protection on the orders of the HC after he had registered offences against shop owners who allegedly threatened him. His security cover was revoked a year later by a committee headed by the commissioner. The same year, the Nashik Municipal Corporation filed FIRs against many illegal shops and fined them while the police sent notices to the owners.

After a shop owner allegedly threatened him in 2016, Lasure lodged a complaint at Bhadrakali police station. Soon after, he alleged that Sub-inspector Vijay P Londhe threatened to frame him in a case unless he withdrew his complaint. In 2017, Lasure registered a complaint at Bhadrakali police station against a friend named Ashirwad Bhavsar for allegedly refusing to return a loan of Rs 90,000. Bhavsar later issued a written statement to the police promising to pay back Rs 50,000 immediately.

However, Lasure was arrested for allegedly extorting money from Bhavsar and had to spend three days in lock-up. He was released on bail after being remanded to judicial custody. Lasure alleged that this was done at the behest of Inspector M B Suryawanshi and API M P Lokhande for his campaign against illegal shops selling firecrackers. In September 2017, he approached the MSPCA with a complaint against the then Nashik police commissioner, Inspector Suryavanshi and API Lokhande of Bhadrakali police station, PSI Londhe of the city crime branch, constable Phartale, who is now posted at the Maharashtra Police Academy and API Santosh Sable, who is now posted at Gangapur police station.

In its rejoinder to Lasure’s allegations, the police submitted before the MSPCA that his brother had threatened to kill Bhavsar unless he returned the money. In their investigations, the police also claimed to have found that Lasure would not allow small business owners in Bhadrakali unless they regularly paid him money and that he would give them loans at “extortionate rates”.

The police also submitted a list of offences they claimed to have registered against illegal shops selling firecrackers. The police commissioner also informed the MSPCA that a decision was taken to revoke Lasure’s protection as his life was no longer believed to be in danger. After hearing both sides, the MSPCA concluded that there was substance in Lasure’s allegations of being framed in the case of extortion, as the “police arrested him knowing fully well that Bhavsar intended to repay him”. Authority members P K Jain and Umakant Mitkar observed in their order that when the dispute had been amicably settled by both parties, it could not amount to extortion.

“We, therefore, are of the considered opinion that the action taken by the concerned respondents was hasty. It calls for further inquiry in respect of the role of the concerned respondents officers in this entire episode. We also feel that further investigation must be carried by an agency independent of Bhadrakali police station,” the order stated. It also said that in case any anomaly is found during such an enquiry, “further investigation must be conducted after obtaining an order from the competent court”.