Police steno ‘molestation’ case: Top cop assures action

THANE: In the molestation and harassment case of a police stenographer from Navi Mumbai, Thane police commissioner Vijay Kamble, on Saturday, has assured that legal action will be taken against the two accused. While the Kalwa police are still dragging their feet in the case and have made no arrests yet, the assurance by the police chief comes as a ray of hope for the victim.
TOI had in its earlier edition reported that the Kalwa police failed to make any arrests in the case as one of the accused has applied for anticipatory bail and the other had claimed that a departmental inquiry was on. Head constable Vijay Patil, posted with the APMC police station and the main accused in the case, had obtained an anticipatory bail from Thane court earlier this week. Kalpana Bane, a law officer at the office of DCP (zone-1), has been accused of harassing the victim and maligning her image.
Even though the DCP (zone 1) officials had clarified that no departmental inquiry was on as the police stenographer had not filed a complaint, the Kalwa police have still failed to arrest Bane. In fact, the DCP (zone 1) claimed that the Kalwa police is supposed to take action against the accused.
Meanwhile, Kamble said, ‘‘Even if a departmental inquiry is on, on our part whatever legal action has to be taken will definitely be taken.’’
President of Sahayak, an NGO, Hemant Sharma, who is willing to pay for the legal aide to the complainant said, ‘‘The victim is a police official, herself. And if her verbal complaint has not been converted into an FIR then this is a cause of concern.’’