Case not fit to grant anticipatory bail: Sessions Court on DCP Saurabh Tripathi’s behaviour

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The sessions court, while rejecting the anticipatory bail application of absconding IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi on Wednesday, used the Marathi proverb ‘Kumpanach jevnha shet khaate' (when the fence itself eats the crops), to describe his behaviour. The court also said that this isn't a fit case to grant anticipatory bail and noted that Tripathi submitted a forged document along with his application before the court.

The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Crime Branch, while arguing its case against Tripathi, has said that he is the mastermind behind the entire Angadia extortion racket case. The CIU also argued about the forged document submitted by Tripathi, one of the grounds on which the court rejected his anticipatory bail application. Tripathi claimed that through a circular of Mumbai police dated November 15, 2021, he had issued an order to take action against hawala operators. "This document filed by the applicant is forged. No such document was sent on November 15, 2021," the CIU told the court.

The agency has further said that this resolution (order) was made in the month of September, 2021, and forwarded on September 16, 2021. "The court has gone through the resolution dated November 15, 2021 produced by the applicant, and another resolution produced by the prosecution with the photo copy of the outward register. These show over writing on the date in the resolution produced by the applicant in the court in support of the anticipatory bail application. It appears that this document is fabricated to show that soon before the complaint of the Angadia Association dated December 7, 2021, the applicant directed inquiry in hawala transactions. In fact, this resolution is of the month of September, 2021," the court said in its order.

‘He is bound by law'

"The applicant is a responsible person holding the post of DCP and bound by law to protect citizens. The applicant is not authorised at all to extract amounts from the persons doing illegal business by using his authority. On the contrary, he has to act diligently to curb illegal transactions by following the provisions of law. Considering the overall conduct of the applicant, as pointed by the prosecution, it reminds me of the well-known Marathi proverb, ‘Kumpanach jevnha shet khaate' (when the fence itself eats the crops)," RM Sadrani additional sessions judge said further in the order passed on Wednesday and made available on Friday.