Maharashtra: Senior police inspector receives Rs 5,000 fine as retirement gift

The illegal hoardings which led to the departmental action

A week before his retirement, a senior police inspector with the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar (MBVV) police received a rather bitter parting gift from the force, in the form of a negative report and a fine of Rs 5,000 imposed by the commissioner himself. Milind Desai, who last held the post of senior inspector in charge of the Navghar police station, retired from the force on August 31. A week earlier, on August 22, a one-year-old instance of dereliction of duty came back to bite him, when an internal inquiry held him guilty for the same.

Officials said that the incident dates back to September 25, 2021, when banners and hoardings wishing ex-MLA Narendra Mehta popped up all over the Navghar area, despite a ban imposed on them by the Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar municipal corporation since 2018. Local activist Krishna Gupta had at the time approached the Navghar police, but no action was taken despite multiple reminders. Finally, in February 2022, an FIR was registered after ward officer Kanchan Gaikwad submitted an official complaint on behalf of the civic body, against mayor Dimple Mehta and deputy mayor Hasmukh Gehlot.

Senior police inspector Milind Desai at his retirement function on August 31

The Navghar police, however, went on to file a closure report in court on September 29 last year, stating that "the incident did occur but no evidence was found at the scene." "This is direct negligence on part of Desai, who was in charge of the police station at the time. There would obviously be no evidence if the FIR itself was registered four months after I first brought the matter to their notice," a frustrated Gupta told mid-day.

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Subsequently, an inquiry by the zonal Deputy Commissioner of Police was conducted into the matter, and a report was submitted to MBVV Police Commissioner Madhukar Pandey. In a show-cause notice issued to Desai on August 22, Pandey said that Desai's behaviour was ill-suited for the police force.

"Despite being a responsible police officer, you have shown negligence towards your duty. Your behaviour has sullied the image of the police in the eyes of the people, and the possibility of other personnel in the police station can not be denied," Pandey had stated in the notice, a copy of which is available with mid-day. Desai was then charged a R5,000 fine before he retired on August 31.

"I am happy with the action taken by the police commissioner. This should serve as a lesson for all police officers, who fail to register FIRs," Gupta said. mid-day reached out to Desai for comment on Friday, who only said, "I am now retired. I have nothing more to say."