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Journalism of Courage
An inquiry has been initiated against a woman police sub-inspector in Mumbai, after a video surfaced showing her removing her pocket nameplate and flinging it at a man and woman who had allegedly approached the police to register a case against an event management firm for withholding their payment.
According to police sources, the duo, whose names have not been disclosed, had visited the VP Road police station on Thursday night, alleging that the police were refusing to register a complaint and favouring the event management company. The resulting altercation was recorded on a mobile phone by the man, and the video quickly went viral after being uploaded to social media.
In response, a formal inquiry headed by Dyaneshwar Wagh, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Girgaon, was ordered on Monday.
The incident began when the man and woman, both freelancers with the event firm, claimed that around Rs 5,000 in dues were pending for the man. After reportedly confronting the management, the two allegedly barged into the office and created a ruckus, prompting the event firm to call the police control room.
A police vehicle brought both parties to the VP Road station. A police officer said, “The man and woman alleged that there were several freelance employees like them whose payments were on hold by the event management firm. They started insisting that the police register a complaint against the management. But when the police intervened in the matter, the person from event management agreed to pay. Both parties went outside the police station, and the pending amount was paid to the man.”
Despite the payment, the officer said, the man and woman returned to the station and continued demanding that the police register a case or compel the event firm to clear the dues of other freelancers. “It is a civil matter, so we asked them to approach the court,” a police officer stated on condition of anonymity.
Tensions escalated when Sub-Inspector Durga Kharde, who was handling another case, became agitated by the commotion. “Due to their loud voices, she got annoyed and screamed at them to stop shouting and recording video,” said an officer.
As the man turned his phone camera toward her and zoomed in on her pocket nameplate, Kharde allegedly removed her nameplate and threw it toward the mobile camera.
The man, who was recording, can be heard in the video stating that the pocket nameplate “could have caused serious injury” to the woman’s eye. A heated argument broke out, with the pair demanding that the police register an FIR against Kharde, alleging that officers were refusing to take action and siding with the event firm.
Subsequently, based on a complaint filed by the event management company, the police registered a case against the man and woman for trespassing into the firm’s office.
“Further inquiry is going on,” the officer said.
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