Mumbai: 4 top cops suspended after ignoring illegal activities in bars

Four top policemen of the Kasturba Marg police station have been suspended on Monday for not taking due action against illegal bars being run in their jurisdiction.

The suspended officers include senior inspector Sanjeev Pimple, inspector Anandrao Hake, sub-inspector Chetak Gange and head constable Shivaji Chakne.

The action was taken against them after a special team, formed by the Joint Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Vinoy Chaubey, carried out a raid at a bar named Sur Sangeet from where 20 girls were rescued on Sunday night.

Sources in the police department told mid-day that Chakne was given the responsibility to check if any illegal bar is run in the jurisdiction of Kasturba Marg police station; whereas Gange was a station house officer and Hake was night PI on Sunday. And above all, Pimple was suspended as he is the head of the police station under whose jurisdiction the illegal bars were running.

"It is not the first time that a surprise raid was conducted. In the past as well, three raids were conducted by different wings of the Mumbai police including Social Service Branch, Additional CP (North region) and Crime Branch and illegal activities were witnessed following which the senior inspector and his team were given a warning by senior officers.

"Yet Pimple did not pay heed to the warning and these illegal bars were still running in his jurisdiction," a senior police officer told mid-day.

In the past, Senior Inspector of Gamdevi police station Gokulsingh Patil was suspended for not taking appropriate action against illegal activities at a dance bar. The matter came to light when an Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) team led by DCP Shivdeep Lande on April 27 conducted a raid at Golden Goose Bar near Grant Road station.

The police found over 51 persons including a cashier, manager, supervisor and 9 stewards along with a waiter besides 8 bargirls who were present in the bar.

First case

Sub-inspector Kalyan Narayan Ghadge and Police Naik Dattatray Narayanrao Ambore, part of beat chowky - 3, of the MIDC police station were suspended by senior officers after a departmental enquiry found them guilty. Ghadge and Ambore were assigned to keep watch on illegal activities at certain establishments in the area. However, they failed to report illegal activities at Saroj Palace bar located in Andheri. The matter came to light when a team of officials from the ANC Kandivli unit, raided Saroj Palace on March 30, around 12.30am after directives from Commissioner of Police, Sanjay Barve, to carry out surprise checks at bars and restaurants. The team found that the women employed there were dancing in an 'obscene and vulgar' manner.

Second case

On March 23, crime branch officials, under direct orders from the commissioner, raided the Indiana Restaurant and Bar near Haji Ali. Eight girls were found being intimidated by some men who were allegedly making obscene gestures at them. The case saw an unconventional bail order being passed in the court. All the 47 accused were asked to donate Rs 3,000 each to an orphanage in Badlapur in order to secure bail. It also led to the suspension of constable Vishwanath Sasve since he was posted at beat number 1 of Tardeo police station and was thus, responsible for ensuring law and order in the area.

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