The bench of justices reserved judgement on a petition seeking that police officers be made co-accused in the case in which Congress corporator Deepak Mankar is a prime accused.
Police officials attached to Shivajinagar Police station in Pune did not discharge their duty when a family victimised by goons was "running from pillar to the post", the Bombay high court said today.
The bench of justices BH Marlapalle and AV Mohta reserved judgement on the petition filed by Rajiv Prabhu, seeking that police officers be made co-accused in the case in which Congress corporator Deepak Mankar is a prime accused.
Prabhu's house in Shivajinagar area -- across the road from the police station -- was attacked by goons, allegedly sent by Deepak Mankar and his brother Shivaji, on December 29 2008. Prabhus allege that police -- despite coming to the spot immediately -- made no arrests on the same day.
Mankars claim to have purchased the house the original owner, but Prabhus, who are tenants, dispute this.
Commenting on the way police reacted, Justice Marlapalle said, "The house was just opposite your police station...From December 29 to December 30 there were people (allegedly sent by Mankar) near the house. But Shivaji Nagar police station did nothing."
Rajiv Prabhu was severely injured and taken to the hospital. But police first registered a complaint against him -- proved to be false later -- before registering Prabhu's own complaint.
On the last occasion, Court had issued show cause notice to inspector Rahul Yewale and PSI Sandip Ghorpade. Yewale, the in-charge of police station, was later suspended.
Noting that Prabhu, his sister Poornima, and other family members called everybody from police commissioner to DGP before action was taken, Judges said: "They were running from pillar to post -- Why, they were insane or what?"
"Police have failed in discharging their duty," the judges said. "What were they waiting for? Orders from home minister?...The family was under attack," an angry bench asked.
Initially there were no arrests made despite Prabhus naming the suspects and pointing out people from video footage they had shot during the incident.
Later, arrests were made and Mankar brothers were chargesheeted, along with nine others.
The case was reopened by Pune police when Mankar's name figured in another high-profile land-grab case, involving a retired professor, Yashwant Natu.
Natu complained that Deepak Mankar was trying to bully him into selling his share of the ancestral property to a builder.
Yewale was suspended and disciplinary inquiry was started against him.
The judges said that they would pass the judgement on Prabhu's petition on July 26 or 27.
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