Borwankar directs police officers to return booty soon

Here is some good news for those who have been waiting for several months to get back their stolen jewellery, despite the arrest of criminals and recovery of booty.

Pune's police chief Meeran Chadha Borwankar has directed senior police inspectors (SPI) to dispose of recovered booty as soon as possible.

Sources said the orders were issued after she received complaints from victims. Property recovered from criminals lies unclaimed in the muddemal rooms of police stations. Two silver bricks seized in the early 1990s were found missing during a stock checking at Swargate police station in January last year.

Borwankar's order directs SPIs to take inventory of muddemal rooms of police stations and submit reports to the prevention of crime branch (PCB). The inspectors are instructed to inform the PCB after disposal of muddemal.

The PCB officials have been asked to give a report to the top brass of Pune police. Officers of assistant commissioner of police (ACP) and deputy commissioner of police (DCP) rank have been asked to see that the orders are implemented in spirit.

Advocate Milind Pawar said, "When stolen property is recovered, the complainant has to submit an application in the court seeking possession of property. The court asks for the say of the investigating officer and if he  confirms that the property belongs to the applicant, the court hands it over."

He said in many cases the process is delayed because the officers do not submit their say to the court.