Mumbai: DCP accused of extortion appointed SID deputy commissioner

DCP Saurabh Tripathi

DCP Saurabh Tripathi, who was previously embroiled in allegations of extorting money from Angadias (traditional couriers) and evading authorities for several months in 2022, has been assigned a role within the State Intelligence Department (SID) of the Maharashtra Police.

Despite facing an FIR and anticipated charge sheet from the crime intelligence unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Crime Branch, he was reinstated by the government in January this year. Tripathi's new position as deputy commissioner within the SID involves gathering intelligence on anti-social elements and presenting his findings to the government.

On Monday, the state government issued a posting order for Tripathi, formally assigning him to his new role. Earlier investigations by the crime branch unveiled an extortion scheme allegedly operated by certain officers from LT Marg police station, where Tripathi was the deputy commissioner of police (zone 2). The IPS officer was implicated as the mastermind of the case following the arrest and subsequent reinstatement of Inspector Om Vangate, Assistant Inspector Nitin Kadam and Sub-Inspector Samadhan Jamdade by the CIU in February 2022.

Tripathi had evaded the authorities and had a lookout circular (LoC) issued against him shortly after the arrests of the trio. He later appeared before the CIU in November 2022 after obtaining anticipatory bail, where he provided a statement.

In November 2021, the Angadia association had reported to the commissioner of police that officers, including Tripathi, were demanding R10 lakh to facilitate their business operations. A 1,100-page charge sheet was filed by the police against the three officers as well as Assistant Commissioner of Central Goods and Service Tax Ashutosh Mishra, who is Tripathi's brother-in-law.

Tripathi was also named in the FIR registered on February 18, 2022, prompting the LoC to be issued against him.

Aug 28
Day posting order was issued