Senior cop takes sides against 78-yr-old in property dispute

While Home Minister R R Patil and Commissioner of Police Dr Satyapal Singh are making fresh plans to safeguard the interests of senior citizens, Singh's own men seem to be guilty of harassing a 78-year-old resident of South Mumbai.

Family matters: Kusum Harsora with her mother Pushpa and brothers Vijay (right) and Jitendra at their residence at Mahalaxmi.

To put an end to an ongoing family dispute over a flat, a senior police inspector of Gamdevi has made an application to the metropolitan court requesting that the flat be sealed, without considering the future of the Pushpa Harsora (78), who occupies the premises.

Senior PI Lonandkar andu00a0Pradeep Harsora

On June 21, 2012, Senior Police Inspector Pradeep B Lonandkar wrote a letter to the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Girgaum, requesting that action be taken under the Code of Criminal Procedure against Pushpa. MiD DAY has a copy of the letter.

In the application, Lonandkar refers to a series of offences - eight in Gamdevi police station and three in DB Marg police station - that Pushpa and her 49-year-old son Pradeep Harsora registered against each other.

"We approached the police station when my son Pradeep started abusing me mentally and physically. He had also made a fake will in my name. But Lonandkar registered a cross complaint against me. Ask Lonandkar how I can assault Pradeep when I am 78 years old," said Pushpa.u00a0Pradeep allegedly assaulted his siblings as well, but the police refused to register their complaint.

Pushpa is a resident of Summerville at Bhulabhai Desai Road near Mahalaxmi temple. Her husband Narottam Harsora died on April 17, 2003. After his death, Pradeep produced a photocopy of a will claiming that his father had left behind his flat to him. Narottam has three sons Pradeep (49), Jitendra (58), Vijay (51) and three daughters Chandrika (55), Kusum (51) and Anita (45).

"Pradeep produced a photocopy of the will. He failed to produce the original. The matter is pending before the High Court. How then can Lonandkar write to the lower court? Lonandkar is protecting Pradeep," alleged Kusum Harsora, one of Pushpa's daughters.

Kusum also recalled an incident in 2007 when, after receiving the complaint from Pushpa, the police booked Pradeep under the chapter procedure. The then ACP had called Pushpa to record her statement. Kusum had informed the ACP that she was a diabetic and would need to visit the toilet to relieve herself every 30 minutes. The ACP, however, forced her to sit at the station for 90 minutes without allowing her access to the toilet. Finally, the elderly lady relieved herself in the office itself.

"The ACP had not allowed me inside while recording my mother's complaint. I had informed him that my mother is a severe diabetic and needs to go to the bathroom every 25 minutes but the ACP forced her to sit for more than hour, allowing her to leave only after she urinated in his office. This incident happened twice. Pradeep on the other hand was given special treatment in the police station," said Kusum.

The other side
Senior PI Lonandkar said, "I am very busy." Police Spokesperson DCP Nisar Tamboli said, "Whatever action he has taken must have been a legal compulsion."u00a0