Mumbai: Cop caught schmoozing with criminal she had been tasked with catching

An undated photo of API Krupali Borse with Sabir Sher Ali Sayyed

Kherwadi police's search for a serial mobile-snatcher has opened a probe into an alleged nexus between the criminal and an assistant inspector from Mumbra police station. The city cops had sought Mumbra API Krupali Borse's help in catching accused Sabir Sher Ali Sayyed. But they ended up catching Sayyed on their own and to their surprise, Borse with him.

On based on her complaint, the Kherwadi police in Bandra East started the probe and learned that the suspects were from Mumbra. They had committed the same offences in Vile Parle as well, said sources.

Kherwadi cops traced the Mumbra cop's mobile location to a five-star hotel in Powai after midnight on August 7. Representation pic

The cops approached the Mumbra police and sought assistance in tracing the accused. API Borse, however, asked them to wait for a few days, saying she was going on leave, the sources added.

The search

Meanwhile, the Kherwadi cops identified one of the accused as Sabir Sher Ali Sayyed, 29, and managed to get his mobile number as well. They pulled out his call data record and even started tracking his number. The cops were puzzled when they found over a 100 calls between Borse and Sayyed exchanged over a couple of months.

On August 7, Sayyed's mobile phone location showed him travelling to Mumbai from Navi Mumbai. Around midnight, his number was switched off near Aarey. The cops decided to trace Borse's number and found her in the same location. Her mobile location was later traced to a five-star hotel in Powai.

The arrest

"A team of cops went to the hotel and asked staff for details of all the guests. Cops also started checking the footage of the CCTV camera at the entrance of the hotel and noticed a man entering with three women and one man," said one of the sources.

Around 6 am on August 8, cops spotted Sabir and others in the lobby. They immediately stopped them. One of the three women turned out to be Borse. Sabir was apprehended while others were let go, according to the sources.

The Kherwadi cops recovered nine mobile phones from the accused and handed those over to Vile Parle police station for mobile snatching. Sources said Sayyed also faces cases of vehicle theft and was once booked under MCOCA.

Social worker seeks enquiry

On August 22, a social worker from Mumbra wrote a letter to the Thane police, seeking an enquiry into the alleged nexus between Borse and Sayyed.

Thane Commissioner of Police (CP) Jaijeet Singh appointed Additional Commissioner of Police (West) Region Dr Mahesh Patil to investigate the matter and file a detailed report.

As per records, Borse was in several controversies in the past, too, and had even faced departmental transfers. However, her transfer orders were stalled following the intervention of a prominent political leader, the sources said.

Neither Borse nor CP Singh responded to mid-day's request for comment.

Aug 8
Day API Borse and Sayyed were caught

Aug 22
Day a social worker wrote to Thane police for enquiry