ACP Trivedi moves High Court against corrupt cops

Video grabs of Balasaheb Mohite and K V Sapkale secured by ACP Trivedi

Even AS the Commissioner of Police has begun a crackdown against corrupt cops in the department, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) has knocked the High Court doors to seek justice in this regard. ACP Rajendra Trivedi, who recently spoke against his department over a before-time transfer, has now come up with video evidence against senior police officers involved in corrupt activities.

According to Trivedi, he has been seeking legal action against the said cops who were caught on camera in 2015 but the department has not paid any heed to his requests. Left with no option, he has now approached the HC with a petition seeking action against the tainted cops.

Trivedi's petition states that as a senior inspector posted at the Sewri police station in 2015, he had observed many irregularities in the station following which he had approached the then police commissioner.

In 2016, he once again wrote to the then Commissioner of Police who had directed then Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sanjay Saxena to conduct an inquiry. In July 2017, Trivedi got promoted as an ACP and got posted in the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). But instead of investigating his complaints, he was made a scapegoat and transferred to the local arms (LA) unit as punishment posting for raising his voice against corruption, Trivedi alleged. "I have knocked every door in the department but to no avail. I have now moved the High Court and the matter is subjudice," Trivedi told mid-day.

Video evidence
In the first video, then traffic division senior inspector Balasaheb Mohite of Wadala traffic police is seen striking a deal with a beef dealer to transport banned beef from his jurisdiction at a fixed bribe amount of Rs 10,000 per month.

The agent is even seen leaving a token amount with the police. In the second video, former ACP of Wadala division K V Sapkale is asking Trivedi to indulge in corrupt activities. He is seen boasting about his connections with the builders' and Octroi lobby and asked Trivedi too to maintain a good rapport with them. Mohite, however, denied the allegations saying that he was simply listening to the beef dealers to understand their modus operandi and to take action accordingly. Sapkale refused to comment when contacted.

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