Mumbai: DCP and PIs booked in extortion case

The complainant claimed he was tortured by the officers, and for the safety of his family and to avoid arrest, he paid them Rs 17 lakh. Representation pic

The Amboli police on Thursday registered a case of extortion, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence against a DCP and two PI rank officers of the Mumbai police, who were earlier associated with the Crime Branch in important positions. The case was registered following the orders of the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate court.

DCP Akbar Pathan, PI Chimaji Adhav and dismissed PI Sunil Mane have been named in the FIR. Mane is already under arrest in the Mansukh Hiran murder case and Antilia threat case by NIA. He was later dismissed by the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The case

The complainant, a businessman, has claimed that he was wrongly framed in a case of forgery and cheating by these officers in the year 2020, and he was subsequently arrested in February that year. According to the complainant, the officers first tried to extort Rs 50 lakh in October 2019 with the help of some of their informers, but he refused to pay the amount. He claimed he was then tortured by the officers, and for the safety of his family and to avoid arrest, he paid them R 17 lakh. The complainant further alleged that after paying the amount the officers again tried extort more money, and later he was framed in a false case of cheating and forgery. When he refused to pay more money, he was arrested in the case.

The complainant then in April 2020, wrote to senior officials of Amboli police, Mumbai police and the chief minister about the alleged extortion by these officers, and demanded registration of an FIR but nothing happened. He also filed a petition before the Bombay High Court under section 226 of the Indian Constitution and section 482 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

The Bombay High Court then ordered an inquiry by senior officers of Mumbai police and later dismissed his petition, as the police probe report said the allegations were incorrect, since the inquiry was conducted by an additional commissioner of the Crime Branch and the allegations were found to be prima facie false. The former joint commissioner of law and order having additional charge of joint commissioner of the Mumbai Crime Branch in his affidavit, said that there was no ill treatment by any police officers of the complainant when he was arrested in the offence.

According to the complainant, the HC dismissed his plea but kept the investigation open on merits and so he approached Supreme Court which directed the magistrate court and the FIR was registered. "The officers harassed my husband and me. They were asking me to tell my husband to pay the money they demanded. In fact I was getting direct calls from them. I hope we get justice," the wife of the complainant said.

Police speak

Now the magistrate court of Andheri has ordered an FIR against the officers in the case."An offence was registered at Amboli police station u/s 385, 167, 466, 471, 474, 323, 504, 201, 506(2), 120B IPC against 3 accused on the order of the Metropolitan Magistrate, 66th Court, Andheri u/s 156(3) CrPC," said DCP S Chaitanya, spokesperson, Mumbai Police.