Angadia extortion case: DCP Saurabh Tripathi’s document under scanner

Saurabh Tripathi. File pic

After allegedly submitting a doctored audio clip, suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Saurabh Tripathi, who is absconding, is suspected to have submitted a forged document in his application before the court, which does not exist in Mumbai police's records. The sessions court on Wednesday rejected his bail application.

Tripathi has been on the run ever since the FIR was registered against two officers - assistant inspector Nitin Kadam and sub-inspector Samadhan Jamdade - in the angadia extortion case. Both officers, who were posted at the LT Marg police station, were arrested by the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU). Later, inspector Om Vangate was also arrested in the case. Tripathi, in his application, has claimed to have submitted a circular to all police stations under his jurisdiction, asking officers of the Anti-Terror Cell (ATC) to take action against illegal activities, including hawala operators.

Tripathi, through his lawyer Aniket Nikam, has submitted a copy of the circular, dated November 15, 2021, stating that a meeting was called with all ATC officers of Zone 2 on November 9, 2021, in which it was decided to take certain actions against illegal activities, which includes actions against hawala operators. However, according to sources in CIU, they have not found any such circular issued on the said date. There is one circular issued on September 15. "Either the document is forged or someone has tampered with the date on the original document," an officer said.

The CIU has found a WhatsApp chat of Tripathi in which he asks, ‘Karvaai theek se chal rahi hai kya? (Is the probe going well)' to arrested police inspector Vangate. The chat was from the time Vangate conducted illegal raids, in December. Vangate was a PI of LT Marg police station and was arrested by CIU for allegedly extorting money from angadias by carrying out fake raids.

After his arrest, he revealed that he had extorted money from angadias after an oral instruction from DCP Tripathi. Based on his statement, the crime branch made Tripathi an accused in the case and declared him absconding. "Vangate coordinated with Tripathi on WhatsApp and has deleted all call logs and messages after the FIR was registered," a crime branch officer said. The CIU opposed the anticipatory bail application of Tripathi last Thursday.