RTI info carries police bluff in cheating case

The Malvani police faked the arrest of a former senior police official and two Mhada officials in a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy.

Replying to an RTI application filed by social activist Mohan Krishnan of the National Anti Corruption and Crime Preventive Council (NACCPC), the police claimed to have arrested Datta Chaudhari, a former additional commissioner of police, along with two former Mhada officials, VS Kokane and PM Varghese.

The reply sent on behalf of senior police inspector Jaywant Hargude recently asserts that these arrests were made in connection of the cheating and criminal conspiracy case filed by Mhada over a property in Malvani in 2001. In reality, the arrests were never made.

The case in fact has been transferred to the economic offence wing (EOW). Chaudhari asserts that he has never been arrested. He in fact states that the police are yet to record his statement in the case. The former cop was shocked to hear the claims made by the Malvani police. When contacted, police officers at the station admitted the mistake after verifying the records. “We will write to the applicant and rectify the wrong,” an officer said.

Hargude was unavailable for comment. Krishnan, however, said that this was one among the several cases, where incorrect or incomplete information was being furnished under RTI. He has written to governor SC Jamir, chief minister Ashok Chavan and chief justice Swatanter Kumar, among other authorities, demanding an inquiry in the matter.