Mumbai underground

Quite a slip

A bench of the High Court was irked when a government pleader slipped out of the court just before a hearing — in which his presence was required — began. This particular lawyer is known to quietly slip out of court at such times,especially when uncomfortable questions are likely from the court. In this particular instance,a court associate launched a search in the large court building. When he eventually appeared before the judges,he hastily said he would file an affidavit explaining his stand,without waiting to hear what the matter was. As it turned out,an affidavit was not what the court was asking for.

Picture Perfect

The website of the Mumbai Police has undergone an overhaul. The homepage bears not one but two images of Commissioner Satyapal Singh,one is a still image and another a video grab from an interview given to a Marathi news channel. The website now sports a green and brown colour scheme and several other additions,including a lengthy history of its establishment,tracing its roots as the Bhandari Militia in 1661 to its present avatar. A new feature in the website is the introduction of detailing the jurisdiction of each police station. Also added are a mission statement and a list of its responsibilities. All the tabs from the previous website have been better arranged to fit into a smaller home screen. Following dozens of public appearances made by Singh over the past few months,a lengthy photo gallery has also been uploaded,which features pictures from weekly visits made by senior officers to police stations across the city.

Too Eager?

Though the Mumbai Crime Branch has had it relatively easy in its probe of the S K Lohariya murder case — with three accused behind bars — investigating officers are wondering why retired cop Emmanuel Amolik readily confessed. The police are surprised as to how a former cop could be so sloppy — being in the same area as the scene of crime,having phone conversations with the co-accused,using his own cellphone and visiting the office of another co-accused minutes after the murder. Behind the gleeful veneer,with police responding to reporters’ queries by saying Vinaashkaale viparit buddhi (When you are doomed,you are devoid of wisdom),lies the apprehension that there is something far deeper at play. The Crime Branch has stepped up its probe to find who the real brains behind the murder are.