CBI to probe cops who went easy on Ugandans

A case wherein Ugandan nationals had allegedly bribed three police officers of the MRA Marg police station to refrain from taking action against them has now been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

MiD DAY report on May 20 highlighting the case. File pic

Police officials also suspect the involvement of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in the case. Sources had claimed that the three officials had taken bribe in dollars worth Rs 1 crore from the Ugandans to avoid initiating action against them. Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sadanand Date had recently recommended a CBI inquiry into the matter following which the home department sanctioned the transfer of the case to the CBI. "We had recommended transfer of investigation," Date said.u00a0

On May 20, MiD DAY had reported (‘3 cops under scanner for taking Rs 1-cr bribe from Ugandans', May 20) that Deputy Commissioner of Police for Zone-I Ravindra Shisve had then written to Date, suggesting suspension of Senior Inspector Padmakar Juikar, Inspector Siddheshwar Gove and Sub-Inspector Mahesh Kale for their alleged involvement in the case.

During the course of investigation, an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) recorded the statements of Juikar, Gove and Kale. Sources claimed that with the suspected involvement of an IPS officer and the case being related to two nations, it was necessary to initiate a CBI inquiry. Juikar was recently promoted as an ACP.

Case history
Based on a complaint filed by Videocon director Marven Fernandes, officials of the MRA Marg police station registered a first information report (FIR) against two Ugandan MPs and a businessman under sections 384 (extortion), 120 (b) (criminal conspiracy), and 441 (criminal trespass) of the Indian Penal Code on April 19. The trio was accused of trying to extort $20 million (Rs 108 crore) from four senior officials of Videocon Industries.

The officials picked up Isaac Musumba (52) and Michael Mawanda (45) members of Ugandan Parliament and businessman Yakuba Mathai (35) from Trident Hotel. But the accused managed to leave Mumbai and filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, alleging that their detention was illegal. The apex court then asked the Mumbai police to file a reply in the matter. While the matter was in the court, the Ugandans tried to flee the country but were apprehended at the Delhi airport by the immigration officials. The trio had visited India using fake documents. u00a0