Mumbai: Assistant police inspector arrested for stalking colleague

API Deepak Deshmukh went to the complainant’s house and abused her for going to the cops

An Assistant Police Inspector (API) attached to the Mumbai police control room was arrested on Tuesday night for stalking a colleague. The police said the woman, who is an inspector, had complained about the accused in the past, when the two worked in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), following which he had been transferred to the police control room as punishment posting.

As per the complaint, despite the complainant's disapproval, the accused Deepak Deshmukh, 49, used to stalk and bombard her with messages.

As per the complainant, two years ago, she warned Deshmukh, but he continued to harass her. Following the mental agony, the complainant informed their superiors about the harassment. They inquired into the matter and transferred Deshmukh to the control room as disciplinary action.

The police said the accused did not stop, and the harassment gradually increased. The accused kept sending messages to the complainant. Fed up with Deshmukh's behaviour, in January this year, she approached the Kurar police and registered a complaint.

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"We called him several times to the police station but Deshmukh did not appear before the investigating officer. In fact Deshmukh abused an officer from our police station when he was pressured to face the inquiry," an officer from Kurar police station said.

On Tuesday night Deshmukh visited the complainant's residence again and abused her for approaching the cops. She then called the police control room and Deshmukh was taken to the Kurar police station.

The Kurar police registered an offence against Deshmukh under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) 452 (House trespass after preparation to hurt), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the IPC and Section 67 of the IT Act.

The accused was produced before the Borivli metropolitan magistrate court and remanded in police custody for two days.

"The accused has been falsely implicated in the case. He is being illegally detained for two days There are several judgments of the Supreme Court which the metropolitan magistrate has not considered. The complaint was filed in rage by the complainant and by misusing her power as a senior officer," said Deshmukh's advocate, Ankit R Takle.