Action against police officer in Hasan Ali case likely

Maharashtra government today is understood to have decided to take action against a senior IPS officer, who allegedly filmed the interrogation of Pune-based stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan in a case in 2008 and later doctored it.

The action is to be taken against deputy police commissioner (government railway police) Ashok Deshbhratar after preliminary inquiry by the CID concluded that he had leaked the tapes of the interrogation by allegedly editing them to sensationalise the matter, a home ministry official said.

Ali is facing charges of huge money laundering and tax evasion.

The CID report revealed the interrogation of Ali was taped using a spy cam and it is suspected that the IPS officer himself used the device, the official said.

While interrogating Ali in a fake passport case when he was arrested in 2008 in Mumbai, Deshbrathar had allegedly made a CD of the investigations in which senior Congress and NCP leaders were allegedly named as discussing the appointment of Mumbai police commissioner with the Pune businessman.

In the CD, Ali is purportedly shown speaking about his proximity to Maharashtra home minister RR Patil and other Congress and NCP leaders and claiming that the decision to appoint Hasan Gafoor as Mumbai police commissioner was taken during a meeting between him and certain leaders from the two parties.

Deshbhratar is on sick leave since March 17.