After constable's wife, Malvani SI harassing us, too, say locals

Sr PI Deepak Patangare, Malvani police station; complainants Mohammed Usman Shaikh and Mohammed Israr Shaikh

After a constable's wife last week complained of senior police inspector Deepak Phatangare of Malvani police station being an 'evil boss', a social worker from the area has accused the cop of framing him in a false case when he complained of the illegal activities in the area. Constable David Bansode's wife had last week written to the chief minister and the commissioner about how Phatangare mentally harassed her husband to an extent that he had to be admitted to a hospital ICU for treatment.

Several locals and activists have now come forward to speak against the senior PI and have written to senior police officers, along with the President, prime minister, chief minister, director general of Maharashtra police and the Election Commission, demanding that Phatangare be removed from the post immediately.

Also Read: Ailing constable's wife writes to CM demanding inquiry against Malwani police station's Sr PI

A local senior citizen has made as many as 38 complaints to Phatangare about illegal activities in the locality but no action has been taken yet. Mohammed Usman Shaikh, living in Malvani for more than 40 years, engages in student welfare activities. He also runs a madarsa in the locality, especially for girls.

"Complaints of illegal businesses like drugs, gutkha, liquor, gambling clubs, prostitution, land grabbing mafia etc were made to Phatangare and higher police officers with the criminals' names and addresses but instead of taking action, he tried to implicate me in false drug cases," the 65-year-old said.

He even sent a police team to raid the madarsa accusing Shaikh of operating a drugs racket from there. "Phatangare cloud easily trap and arrest any person in false cases if gets money. He has fixed rates for every kind of fake case. He is only short of putting up a rate card list outside the police station. He has appointed five beat orderly whose only duty is to collect bribes from illegal businesses," Shaikh alleged, adding that Phatangare has been trapped thrice by the Anti Corruption Bureau - in Malvani, Malad and Bangurnagar.

As per the Election Commission's rules, an officer who has spent five years in one Lok Sabha constituency, should be transferred to some other constituency. "Given his corrupt track record, there is every possibility that he could help the candidates in the on-going Lok Sabha elections by accepting bribes," Shaikh said.

Mohammed Israr Shaikh, 35, who was allegedly implicated in a false case by the senior inspector, has now approached the Mumbai High Court and filed a petition against the cop. Shaikh, who accepted contracts of dumping debris, had three criminal cases against him and was even expelled from the city a couple of years ago.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Sub-Inspector booked for stalking and harassing woman constable

However, on January 24, "constable Panhalkar called me to the police station to meet Phatangare. I was allowed to go home then but called back in the evening by another constable Londe," said Shaikh, adding, "I was forced to sit in the police station for hours and arrested late in the night. When produced before the Borivli court the next day, it was revealed that I was implicated in a false case of carrying weapons."

False claims

"Usman Shaikh has corrupted my image by making fake complaints. I have thus filed a defamation case (worth R4 crore) against three persons," Phatangre said.

Also Read: Woman poses as fake cop, robs constable's house in Dombivli

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