Mumbai: Two police officers held, another wanted in robbery, extortion case filed by ACP

Police said the two arrested officers have been identified as Assistant Police Inspector Nitin Kadam and Sub-Inspector Samadhan Jamdade. Another Inspector, Om Vangate, is wanted in the case. The three officers are posted at LT Marg police station in Mumbai while the role of an IPS officer in the case is under scrutiny.

A case was registered early on Saturday under relevant sections of extortion, robbery and wrongful restraint at LT Marg police station. Subsequently, the investigation of the matter was handed over to the Crime Intelligence Unit of the crime branch, who then arrested the two police officers.

An officer said, “The inquiry in the case was initiated early in December after a few businessmen, who are also part of the Angadiya Association approached the Additional Commissioner of Police Dilip Sawant’s (South Region) office. They had allegations against a few police officers and some constables after which they submitted a written complaint.”

Sawant sought permission from his superiors following which an inquiry was initiated. During which he concluded that the police officers took undue advantage of their position and illegally detained a few Angadia businessmen on December 2, 3, 4 and 6, 2021.

The inquiry officers also scrutinised the CCTV footage of the LT Marg police station, Mumbadevi beat chowky and Pophalwadi area that proved the allegations placed on them, said a senior IPS officer.

“The station house dairy, in which it is mandatory to mention all the activities conducted by the policemen, also showed discrepancies. As on some occasions they did not mention the detention of Angadia businessmen at the police station, while once, Kadam wrote that they were taken to the police station as they suspected that the detainees were dealing in stolen gold and were subsequently let off,” said an officer.

Kadam, however, in his statement to the inquiring officers have alleged that he made wrong entries on Vangate’s instructions. The two arrested officers were produced in Killa court on Saturday and were remanded in police custody till February 21.