Witnesses nail DIG Paraskar in rape case
(This story was originally published on June 12, 2015.)
Testimony confirms charges against officer blamed of sexually assaulting model in 2012.
Five policemen have corroborated circumstances leading to the allegedrape of a 25-year-old model by DIG Sunil Paraskar in December 2013. Four of these officials worked directly with Paraskar’s office. Adding to their testimony, the owner of a Madh Island bungalow, one of the locations where the model was allegedly raped, has confirmed that the senior police officer spent over 45 minutes at that house.
Their statements have been included as annexures to a charge sheet filed last month.
The fifth policeman is Ramesh Salvi, who works in theMumbai Police Motor Transport Department.
A complaint was filed by the model against Paraskar in July last year accusing him of raping her on several occasions in apartments in Navi Mumbai and Madh Island.
The DIG’s driver, Jadhav, in his statement has stated that on the afternoon of December 1, 2013 Paraskar had asked to be driven to Kalanagar in Bandra, where they were met by the model, who arrived in a car. Paraskar occupied the seat next to the complainant. Jadhav was instructed to lead them to his (Paraskar’s) flat in Vashi.
At a signal in Mahim, the complainant struck Paraskar’s car, damaging the rectangular box that displays the DIG’s insignia, Jadhav said. His statement is corroborated by operator Sachin Shinde, who said they reached Vashi at around 5.30 pm after which Paraskar and the complainant went into the flat on the 15th floor.
Paraskar and the model remained in the flat for another 30 minutes before exiting the compound.
Salvi has confirmed that he was tasked with repairing the box that displays the insignia.
One of the statements in the charge sheet is of the victim’s sister; she states that after the family approached Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria to complain of rape, the model received a call from Sangita Paraskar, the DIG’s wife, asking her not file a complaint against Paraskar.
The second rape alleged by the victim in her complaint occurred on December 7, 2013 at a bungalow on Madh Island. Pramod Tulsian, who owns the home, and his driver Kanhaiyalal Yadav, have said Paraskar brought the model to the bungalow in the evening and introduced her as a producer who wanted to use the building for a shoot, and that he was to show her around.
Tulsian has told the police that Paraskar and the victim went upstairs and returned “45 minutes to an hour later”. Yadav has stated that the model was unable to turn her car around and that he was asked to do it for her.
After the model complained to Maria, Paraskar, 57, was charged under Sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 354 (molestation) of the Indian Penal Code in the charge sheet filed on May 12.
He was granted Anticipatory bail by a special woman’s court on August 12 without having to spend a day in custody, after the court observed that the evidence on record prima facie showed that sex bet ween the two was consensual sex.
Testimony confirms charges against officer blamed of sexually assaulting model in 2012.
Five policemen have corroborated circumstances leading to the alleged
Their statements have been included as annexures to a charge sheet filed last month.
The policemen who have testified against the officer include Paraskar’s driver of 15 years, Rajendra Jadhav; his communications operator Sachin Shinde; communications operator in-charge for one day Sambhaji Jadhav; and his orderly Ravindra Salvi. All these witnesses, including the Madh bungalow owner and the owner’s driver, have identified the victim as the same person they saw with Paraskar on those dates that the sexual assault allegedly occurred.
The fifth policeman is Ramesh Salvi, who works in the
A complaint was filed by the model against Paraskar in July last year accusing him of raping her on several occasions in apartments in Navi Mumbai and Madh Island.
The DIG’s driver, Jadhav, in his statement has stated that on the afternoon of December 1, 2013 Paraskar had asked to be driven to Kalanagar in Bandra, where they were met by the model, who arrived in a car. Paraskar occupied the seat next to the complainant. Jadhav was instructed to lead them to his (Paraskar’s) flat in Vashi.
At a signal in Mahim, the complainant struck Paraskar’s car, damaging the rectangular box that displays the DIG’s insignia, Jadhav said. His statement is corroborated by operator Sachin Shinde, who said they reached Vashi at around 5.30 pm after which Paraskar and the complainant went into the flat on the 15th floor.
Paraskar and the model remained in the flat for another 30 minutes before exiting the compound.
Salvi has confirmed that he was tasked with repairing the box that displays the insignia.
One of the statements in the charge sheet is of the victim’s sister; she states that after the family approached Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria to complain of rape, the model received a call from Sangita Paraskar, the DIG’s wife, asking her not file a complaint against Paraskar.
The second rape alleged by the victim in her complaint occurred on December 7, 2013 at a bungalow on Madh Island. Pramod Tulsian, who owns the home, and his driver Kanhaiyalal Yadav, have said Paraskar brought the model to the bungalow in the evening and introduced her as a producer who wanted to use the building for a shoot, and that he was to show her around.
Tulsian has told the police that Paraskar and the victim went upstairs and returned “45 minutes to an hour later”. Yadav has stated that the model was unable to turn her car around and that he was asked to do it for her.
After the model complained to Maria, Paraskar, 57, was charged under Sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 354 (molestation) of the Indian Penal Code in the charge sheet filed on May 12.
He was granted Anticipatory bail by a special woman’s court on August 12 without having to spend a day in custody, after the court observed that the evidence on record prima facie showed that sex bet ween the two was consensual sex.
