Explained: The case of the angadia ‘extortion’ and Mumbai’s missing DCP Tripathi

The case pertains to a complaint made by the Angadia association on December 7 last year to a senior Mumbai Police officer that IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi, DCP Zone 2, had demanded a monthly bribe of Rs 10 lakh to “allow” the angadias to run their business.

The Zone 2 jurisdiction covers areas between Marine Lines, Grant Road, and Charni Road areas of South Mumbai including Kalbadevi, Mumbaidevi and Bhuleshwar, where a large number of angadias operate.

Who is DCP Saurabh Tripathi?

Tripathi, 38, is an IPS officer of the 2010 batch. He is an MBBS and MD (dermatology), having studied at Nair hospital in Mumbai. He has served earlier as SP of Ahmednagar Police, DCP Zone 4 in the Mumbai Police, DCP Mumbai Traffic Police, DCP SB (1) CID in Mumbai, and as ADC to the Governor.

As Ahmednagar SP, Tripathi had investigated and filed a chargesheet in the Kopardi village gangrape-murder of a 15-year-old girl. The Kopardi incident sparked huge public outrage and political controversy, with the Congress demanding Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s resignation on “moral grounds” in the Maharashtra Assembly.

Who are the angadias and what is their work?

Angadias provide courier services for certain kinds of goods, but mostly cash, outside the formal banking system, and away from the Income-Tax Department. The system takes its name from the Gujarati “angadia” or carriers, who were traditionally men of the Patel community from Gujarat’s Mehsana district.

When the system evolved in the 19th century, the angadias would transfer valuables including cash, jewellery, or important documents between Mumbai and parts of Gujarat for a fixed charge, with no questions asked. As the business grew over the years, it saw the entry of other communities as well, including Marwaris from Rajasthan and Malabaris from Kerala.

The system is largely based on trust. The patron who uses the angadias’ service hands over valuables or cash without any formal written agreement. The angadia charges a nominal fee of around Rs 200 per lakh of the value of the goods, and provides an insurance of about 70 to 80 per cent of the value of the goods in case the parcel is lost or robbed.

Secrecy and safety are of paramount importance in this trade. It is for this reason that the offices of agencies providing angadia services are located in a cul-de-sac in areas like Fofalwadi in Bhuleshwar and in Malad, which provide safety from robbers as well as prior information about raids by government agencies.

What specific allegations did the angadias make in their complaint?

The angadia association has around 100 angadias as members. Their president, who wrote the letter, alleged that LT Marg police personnel were stopping angadia workers and checking their bags in December last year. Those carrying money in their bags were taken to a police chowky in the area, and money was extorted from them under the threat of police action.

Those carrying Rs 5 lakh were made to pay Rs 50,000, and those carrying Rs 10 lakh were made to pay Rs 1 lakh or Rs 2 lakh. Several angadia traders paid the bribe and got their workers out of the police chowky.

Where does IPS officer Tripathi come in?

It is alleged that on three occasions, the angadia workers and their president met DCP Tripathi, who allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakh in monthly bribes to allow them to run their business. The letter alleges that DCP Tripathi said, “The action that I have started taking is getting me more than Rs 10 lakh per day. I am not begging from you. You will have to pay me that much and that too from September onwards.”

Tripathi allegedly said: “You can go wherever you want to but you will have to pay me Rs 10 lakh per month. As of now I have asked only two police stations to take action, I will ask all police stations under me to start this action and I will make you cry.”

What did the police do on receipt of the letter?

An inquiry was carried out based on the letter, following which, on February 19, a FIR was registered at the LT Marg police station against police officials of the LT Marg police station on charges of extortion and robbery. Three police officers have been arrested so far.

DCP Tripathi was initially not named in the FIR. But the case was subsequently transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch, and during their probe, the role of DCP Tripathi was established.

Where is DCP Tripathi right now?

After his name started cropping up in the controversy, the DCP exited all WhatsApp groups. He was transferred out of Zone 2, but he did not take up the new posting. He went on leave, and continues to remain absent from duty. His house is locked. The Indian Express tried to reach him but his phone was switched off. He has not responded to questions sent to him by SMS and WhatsApp.

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