The alleged fraud case with regard to the modernisation of Mumbai airport has taken a different turn, with the complainant claiming that he is being pressured by the investigating officer to take back the complaint.
In a letter to Deputy Commissioner of Police (zone 8) Virendra Mishra, RTI activist Vishwas Bhamburkar has accused Inspector Yogesh Shinde of Airport police station of asking him not to pursue the case.
What is the case about?
The airport police had on November 1 registered three FIRs following an order by the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate court. Citing a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, Bhamburkar had alleged that civil aviation officials connived with the promoters of the GVK group, which runs the city airport through its subsidiary Mumbai International Airport Limited, to benefit the latter to the tune of Rs5,800 crore. Bhamburkar had to approach the court as the police first refused to take his complaint. One of the FIRs is against cops for refusing to register the case.
What's the activist's version?
Ahmedabad resident Bhamburkar said Shinde told him that the orders of the Metropolitan Magistrate court were wrong and that the FIRs would need to be cancelled. "He called me to the police station immediately with my copy of the FIRs. The call lasted for about seven minutes," reads Bhamburkar's mail.
When Shinde insisted that I come to the police station, I disconnected the call, said Bhamburkar. The activist has alleged that Shinde called him two more times, asking him to cancel all his plans and report to the police station with copies of the FIRs. "That Shinde chose to call me at 9:50pm to the Airport Police Station speaks for itself."
Police chief denies charges
Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria denied the allegation, stating that there was no duress on the complainant. "The investigation is being done on the instructions of the court, so no officer will ever think of doing such a thing."
How does legal fraternity see case?
Dna had earlier reported that the legal fraternity was opposed to the appointment of a junior- level officer from the same police station in a case where his immediate superiors were shown as accused. Though Mumbai police said that it is within the law, legal experts say it is against the police manual and therefore illegal. The experts said that the case should be transferred to Economic Offence Wing.
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