Maha: Woman constable hides sister's participation in police recruitment drive, suspended

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A woman constable has been placed under suspension for allegedly hiding from the authorities the fact that two of her sisters were taking part in the police recruitment drive underway in Thane in Maharashtra, an official said on Sunday.

Her suspension order was issued on February 17 by SS Burse, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) here, the official added.

The woman constable had tried to hide the fact that two of her sisters were taking part in the recruitment drive by submitting a false undertaking, the official said.

She is also accused of helping her two sisters during the recruitment drive, he said.

Last month a constable attached to Navi Mumbai police headquarters was booked by Kharghar police for allegedly molesting a pregnant woman on the road during an argument. The woman in her statement to police claimed that she was also hit on the face by the cop.

Also read: Case against two men in Thane for killing friend six years ago

According to the complaint filed by the woman, the incident occurred on the evening of January 31 when the 26-year-old woman, a resident of CBD Belapur, was going to see a doctor at Kharghar with her husband on a bike. The woman and her husband were near Belapur Metro Station when a car brushed their bike, resulting in an imbalance, the complainant claimed.

The woman's husband signaled to stop the car but the car driver allegedly tried to dash the biker. When the woman's husband came in front of the car and asked to stop, the driver (cop) removed a 'police' board from the dashboard and came out of the car, the woman claimed her complaint.

"As soon as he came out and tried to speak, we smelled alcohol," said the woman. In her complaint, the woman said that the cop abused them and claimed that he is a cop and asked them to do whatever they want. The woman said that the cop also claimed that he was from 'Crime Branch'.

"My husband was trying to make him understand but he tried to slap him," said woman. "My husband stepped back to avoid his slap but it hit me on the face. When I protested, he held my hand and started arguing," she added.

Following the woman's complaint, the cop was booked under IPC sections 279 (rash driving), 354 (outraging the modesty of women), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult with the intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and relevant sections of Motor Vehicle Act. The cop was identified as Dinesh Mahajan.

"The accused is of constable rank and attached to headquarters. He has been booked under various sections of IPC and served notice to appear before investigating officer for inquiry," said Sandipan Shinde, senior inspector of Kharghar police station.

After the registration of the FIR, Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe ordered suspension of the cop.