Former CP says he had leased out his premises to a private firm and that he never visited the society in four years
The Social Service Branch (SSB) of the city police raided a flat belonging to former Mumbai police commissioner Dr Satyapal Singh and busted a prostitution racket on Saturday night. The flat is in Patliputra Housing Society, Versova, and was given on rent to a private company, which was using it as its guest house. Interestingly, a paanwala near the society is on police radar as he was in league with the guest house caretaker and used to take bookings.
According to joint commissioner of police, crime, Sadanand Date, on receipt of specific information that a prostitution racket was being operated from a flat on the 10th floor of Patliputra Society building at Four Bungalows in Andheri (W), a raid was conducted around 7pm on Saturday. Following the raid, the police arrested the caretaker of the guest house, Vakil Raju Shah, and rescued two girls aged 20 and 22. They also seized Rs 4000 in cash and registered a case under relevant sections of the Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act (PITA). The case has since been handed over to the Versova police for further probe. Shah was produced before a court on Sunday which remanded him in police custody till June 3.
"Shah was working as a caretaker there. Since the flat, which was being used as a guest house by a private company, mostly remained vacant, Shah is believed to have used it for such activities. We are investigating whether more persons were involved in this racket," said deputy commissioner of police, enforcement, Mahesh Patil.
According to a source, a paanwala is in police cross hairs since he had been taking bookings on behalf of the guest house caretaker.
The land on which the housing society stands was allotted to senior government officials in 2001. The society has 13 floors in two wings with each floor having two flats. All the flats have been allotted to senior bureaucrats except for a few which have been given to IPS officers, including Singh.
Speaking to dna, a shocked Singh said that he would terminate the agreement with the company that was given the flat on lease. "I had given the flat to a private company and they were supposed to take care of it. Also, it is the responsibility of the society to stop such people from entering its premises. I am terminating my lease agreement with the company," he said.
The flat was given on lease for 33 months which would expire in September this year, Singh said, adding that he had not visited the flat in the past four years. Asked whether he has vacated his official residence given to him by the government when he was in the police department, Singh said: "By rule, I am entitled to retain the official flat for six months. As soon as I get a house in Delhi, I will vacate my official residence."
"It is shocking and embarrassing that such activities happened in our society. We society members will be meeting soon on this issue to ensure that such an incident did not not occur again," said a member of Patliputra society, requesting anonymity.
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