Three cops booked for robbing, extorting money from angadias

Complaint filed by Additional CP Dilip Sawant states that the Angadias’ association had approached police in Dec last year

In an unprecedented incident, the Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Police has registered a complaint against three officials from his jurisdiction for extortion. The cops have been accused of extorting money from the angadias of South Mumbai. Police sources told mid-day that the accused officers have extorted more than Rs 10 lakh by intimidating more than 10 angadias. The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Crime Branch is probing the matter. While two officers in this case have been arrested, the third accused is reportedly absconding. The angadia system involves people largely from Gujarat’s Mehsana, who transfer valuables including cash, jewellery or documents for a fixed charge.

According to the complaint registered by Additional CP Dilip Sawant to the LT Marg police station on December 7, 2021, the officials of the Angadia Association, Bhuleshwar, had submitted a written complaint that some police officers of LT Marg were harassing them. The complaint states that the incidents of extortion took place on December 2,3,4 and 6.

Seeing the seriousness of the complaint, Additional CP Dilip Sawant informed Joint CP (Law and order) Vishwas Nangre-Patil and Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, who ordered an investigation into the matter. While checking the CCTV footage of Pofalvadi and the surrounding areas, it was found that police inspectors Om Vangate, API Nitin Kadam, PSI Samadhan Jamdade and some police constables have indeed been stopping the angadias and interrogating them. Sawant said in the statement, “Before taking any kind of action, the police officer should enter it in the diary, which Om Wangate has not done. Also, if a person is taken to the police station for questioning, that should also be entered in the diary.” Additional CP Dilip Sawant lodged an FIR on Friday night. The court has sent both the accused to police custody till February 22.

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