Maharashtra Home Department suspends two ACPs in land grab case

This picture has been used for representational purposes

The Maharashtra Home Department on September 22 suspended Assistant Commissioners of Police Prashant Marde and Subhash Sawant of Dahisar police station in a land grab case from April 2018.

Four police personnel involved in the same case, including Inspector Sanjeev Tawde, Assistant Inspector Anand Jadhav, Sub-Inspectors Kakasaheb Shinde and Rekha Saykar of Dahisar police station, were suspended by Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve on February 16, 2020.

The case

According to sources, a builder, Jude Romell (director of Romell Housing LLP) had purchased seven acres of land for R36 crore from Pooja Private Limited Company, and nine acres next to the land from Wholentine Property Company for R27 crore near Dahisar Check Naka in 2010. Some part of this land was encroached upon by the family of one Kamaruddin Sheikh.

Romell allegedly paid a large sum to Sheikh for the plot, but later Sheikh joined hands with the local police and grabbed the land again. He also allegedly trapped Romell and his associate in a fake assault and robbery case and they were jailed for more than 50 days in April 2018.

After being released on bail, Romell approached the Bombay High Court and demanded a CBI enquiry against the six cops. On February 14, 2020, the state home department granted sanction to the CBI to prosecute the six police personnel in the case.

Charge sheet says

The charge sheet filed before the HC by the CBI in 2019 has alleged that the police personnel, including Marde and Sawant, booked Romell in the assault case when he was not even present at the alleged crime spot. The police also allegedly filed wrong medical reports to prove the assault.

Senior Inspector Subhash Sawant was promoted to ACP at the time the case was registered by the CBI. Commissioner Barve had suspended four of the six officers in February. However, as he didn't have the authority to act against officers of ACP rank, he wrote to the home department to initiate it. On September 22 the state home department suspended the ACPs.

Keep scrolling to read more news

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels