Corruption-fighting cop reveals how traffic department gave towing contractor prime office space in Worli without charging any rent or obtaining necessary permissions
The towing contractor was given nearly 1,000 sq ft on the fourth floor of the traffic police headquarters in Worli
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Whistle-blowing cop Sunil Toke has once again refused to 'tow' the line when it comes to corruption in the police department. Months after he exposed the rampant bribery among traffic cops, he has revealed yet another irregularity in the traffic department, which has offered a nearly 1,000 sq ft office to a towing contractor free of charge.
Sunil Toke
Sunil Toke, head constable of the Mumbai Traffic Police, recently complained to Commissioner of Police Datta Padsalgikar that the traffic department had provided 1,000 sq ft of prime office space on the fourth floor of the traffic police headquarters to vehicle towing contractor Vidarbh Infotech Pvt Ltd – free of cost. What's more, instead of collecting rent from the contractor, the traffic department was even paying their electricity bill.
Toke discovered this after obtaining documents and information through a Right To Information (RTI) application.
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Unauthorised
The space was given out to the firm to set up a Control and Monitoring Centre for Towing Vehicle System. Toke said that to do so, the traffic police should have taken prior permission from the Commissioner of Police, Home department and the Public Works Department (PWD), but this was not done.
Toke said, "When I asked the department to give me the proposal the private firm had sent to police department, requesting for office premises, I was given a reply to my RTI query stating that the firm had never sent any such proposal to the police department. That means the firm was given the prime property without asking for it. Why?"
Toke said there was no need for the traffic police to give out such huge premises to a private firm. "Earlier firms were never given so much privilege. If the traffic police department feels the need for a Control and Monitoring Centre for Towing, then why not collect rent for the property, which is in the upscale Worli Seaface area? Forget the rent, the police department is also paying the electricity bills of the firm's office. Because of this corruption, the government losing out on revenue and a private firm is getting undue benefit," Toke alleged.
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Is there a cover-up?
In his complaint filed on September 8, Toke urged CP Padsalgikar to file a criminal case at the Worli police station. The CP forwarded the complaint letter to Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar.
"I was given a reply by Joint CP Amitesh Kumar stating that my complaint pertains to a matter in which a criminal writ petition is already filed in the high court. And since the matter is sub judice, no further information can be given," said Toke.
Toke pointed out, however, that the writ petition has nothing to do with his complaint. "I was given such a reply in order to avoid the matter," he alleged.
Toke further alleged that he was deliberately given incomplete information in order to shield those involved in the wrongdoing. "That's why I sought a criminal investigation in the matter," he added.
Flashback
Head Constable Sunil Toke had earlier served in the Goregaon and Wadala units of the traffic department, when he was shocked to witness rampant corruption. He alleged that traffic cops would often catch drunk drivers and then let them go in exchange for a bribe of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000. He also mentioned that illegal taxis and autos would pay around Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 to the cops.
The other side
Prashant Ugemuge, managing director of Vidarbh Infotech Private Limited, said that the allegations made against the firm are incorrect and have no truth to them. The said premises at the Traffic Police headquarter was given to the firm as per the tender and agreement. "It is part of the facility we are providing to the Mumbai Traffic Police. If we do our work to provide this facility to traffic police department from a private office, then as per the rules and laws, it would be illegal. Hence, we have been given these premises to work for the traffic police," said Ugemuge.
He added, "We are not carrying out any other private work from the premises. In fact, it would have been cost effective for us to operate from private premises, but as per agreement we are operating from the government premises. We follow similar procedure while working with other government agencies or departments as well." Despite mid-day's attempts to reach out to Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Amitesh Kumar, he did not comment on the matter.
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