Forced to share authority, senior PI blames DGP

You can't put two swords in the same scabbard, and two senior inspectors in one police station. After being put in such a situation, senior PI Siddharth Wagh from Ulhasnagar-I police station has alleged through an affidavit in Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) court that the government and the DGP transferred Deepak Manohar Kurulkar as senior inspaector to the same police station under political influence.

The story that MiD DAY carried on October 19

On October 19, MiD DAY had reported (‘Two senior inspectors, one police station') how an administrative folly had resulted in two senior inspectors occupying the same police station.

On November 19, 2011 Kurulkar was moved to Thane crime branch from Ulhasnagar-I police station. Later, Kurulkar approached MAT against his ‘premature' transfer. On October 12, 2012 the state government reinstated Kurulkar to Ulhasnagar-I police station. As per records from DGP's office (copy available with MiD DAY) Kurulkar is senior in hierarchy compared to Wagh, but the latter has refused to handover charge.

At loggerheads: Siddharth Wagh

The affidavit (copy with MiD DAY) that was filed on October 22 states, "He (Kurulkar) approached the Respondent No 1 (state government) and 2 (DGP) through politicians or otherwise and thus managed to get the said order cancelled." Though Wagh has not clarified the term ‘otherwise', it indicates the officers had accepted bribe to stop Kurulkar's transfer. Apart from referring to corruption in the police department, in his proclamation Wagh also alleged that despite being fully aware of the aforesaid position of law regarding the transfer Act not being applicable to such type of orders, the state government, and DGP ignored the same and helped Kurulkar "illegally".

Deepak Kurulkar

Wagh claimed in his affidavit that with political influences, Kurulkar managed to get his transfer order (dated 19/11/2011) revoked, with a fresh edict (dated 1/10/2012).

Referring to Wagh's affidavit, on October 29 Kurulkar wrote a letter (MiD DAY has a copy) to the DGP, apprising him of the allegations. "I was shocked to see the affidavit. I communicated with the DGP just for his acknowledgement," said Kurulkar.

"Wagh is an on-duty officer, and he cannot make such allegations against the government and his superiors. He should meet higher officials and convey his side orally. His act is punishable as he can not prove the allegations," said a public prosecutor on condition of anonymity.

"I can not comment at this stage as I have not received a copy of the affidavit till now."

Maharashtra DGP Sanjeev Dayal told us.

When contacted by MiD DAY, Wagh said, "This is a private matter. Don't ask me about it." However, lawyer BV Bandiwadekar, who had filed the affidavit on Wagh's behalf, added, "We have mentioned ‘political pressure' and ‘otherwise' in the affidavit. I want my client to be safe."u00a0