Kin travel with accused, cops suspended

MUMBAI: Four policemen from the Local Arms Division in Mumbai have been suspended for allowing the relatives of an undertrial to travel with him in a police van on its way from the Vashi court to Arthur Road jail.
The incident took place on December 29 last year. "The four policemen had taken an undertrial, Dilip Shinde, to the Vashi court for a hearing.After the hearing was over, they were bringing him back when their colleagues from the Escort branch, led by senior inspector A N Shinde, stopped the vehicle at Ghatkopar and conducted a surprise check," said Manoj Lohia, DCP, Armed Forces.
The team found that Shinde's wife and his brother-in-law were also present in the police vehicle. On the basis of a report submitted by the senior inspector, the four policemen���assistant sub-inspector Anil Vishnu Manjrekar, head constable Madhukar Adawde, and constables Ramesh Parab and Arun Rathor���were suspended on January 15.
Manjrekar was in charge of the escort team. All of them are being questioned as to whether they were paid money to extend help to the robber.
The undertrial, Shinde, is involved in a murder case and six cases of theft and robbery. He was jailed 10 months ago and since then has been kept at the Arthur Road jail. Sources said Shinde had worked for the Chhota Rajan gang in the past and later for a gang of robbers.
Speaking on the surprise raid, a senior officer said such raids were carried out routinely to ensure effective security. "Our officers conduct surprise checks near the jail and on court premises. They even stop police vehicles carrying jail inmates to check if the policemen are taking proper precautions and are on alert. The exercise is also meant to check if the policemen and the undertrials are in full quorum and the cops are carrying their weapons properly," Lohia said.