Four cops slipped gangster out of prison for leisure trips, fired
On one such visit, cops drove Chhota Rajan man Satish Kalia to Haji Ali to meet his wife.
Four police constables have been sacked for sneaking Chhota Rajan gang member Satish Kalia out of Arthur Road Jail for multiple leisure trips and doing other favours for him.
On one such illegal trip, the constables took Kalia, who was arrested in 2011 for allegedly shooting senior journalist J Dey, to Haji Ali in a police van and allowed him to roam around with his wife and enjoy lunch with her, an inquiry revealed.
An inquiry was ordered against the constables and Kalia was put under a watch. The constables were found guilty of misconduct and suspended. Former police commissioner Rakesh Maria sought their dismissal from the force, and the request was approved last week.
Additional police commissioner Quaiser Khalid confirmed that the constables were found guilty of arranging trips outside prison for Kalia. “I conducted the inquiry and found out that these constables were acting as facilitators for Kalia and his family. After gathering enough evidence, a report was submitted against the constables and they were dismissed from service,” Khalid said.
On Kalia’s Haji Ali visit, Khalid said: “Gavas was on duty in the western suburbs that day, but he took an off to accompany Kalia.”
The case confirms long-held suspicion that gangsters continue to run their crime syndicates from prison with the help of some corrupt cops.
Kalia, 40, real name Rohit Thangapan, had befriended Gavas when the latter was posted in Arthur Road Jail. He would allegedly pay bribes to Gavas and other constables to get small tasks done. He eventually managed to buy visits outside prison, mostly to meet his wife.
The constables in question arranged the trips on days when Kalia had to attend court hearings. Last month, Kalia attended a hearing at a MCOCA court on the jail premises. After the proceedings, Kalia was sneaked out of the complex in a police van and driven to Haji Ali. While Kalia met his wife, the constables parked the van nearby and kept the bonnet open to make it appear that vehicle had broken down. After a few hours, they took Kalia back to Arthur Road Jail.
After the constables came under the scanner, senior officials analysed their call data records for all those days when Kalia attended court hearings.
Four police constables have been sacked for sneaking Chhota Rajan gang member Satish Kalia out of Arthur Road Jail for multiple leisure trips and doing other favours for him.
On one such illegal trip, the constables took Kalia, who was arrested in 2011 for allegedly shooting senior journalist J Dey, to Haji Ali in a police van and allowed him to roam around with his wife and enjoy lunch with her, an inquiry revealed.
The profitable arrangement that constables Nitin Gavas, Chandiram Solanki, Harinath Mane and Prashant Pimple allegedly struck with Kalia unravelled last month after the four cops fought over sharing the ‘fee’. One of them later complained against the others to his seniors.
An inquiry was ordered against the constables and Kalia was put under a watch. The constables were found guilty of misconduct and suspended. Former police commissioner Rakesh Maria sought their dismissal from the force, and the request was approved last week.
Additional police commissioner Quaiser Khalid confirmed that the constables were found guilty of arranging trips outside prison for Kalia. “I conducted the inquiry and found out that these constables were acting as facilitators for Kalia and his family. After gathering enough evidence, a report was submitted against the constables and they were dismissed from service,” Khalid said.
On Kalia’s Haji Ali visit, Khalid said: “Gavas was on duty in the western suburbs that day, but he took an off to accompany Kalia.”
The case confirms long-held suspicion that gangsters continue to run their crime syndicates from prison with the help of some corrupt cops.
Kalia, 40, real name Rohit Thangapan, had befriended Gavas when the latter was posted in Arthur Road Jail. He would allegedly pay bribes to Gavas and other constables to get small tasks done. He eventually managed to buy visits outside prison, mostly to meet his wife.
The constables in question arranged the trips on days when Kalia had to attend court hearings. Last month, Kalia attended a hearing at a MCOCA court on the jail premises. After the proceedings, Kalia was sneaked out of the complex in a police van and driven to Haji Ali. While Kalia met his wife, the constables parked the van nearby and kept the bonnet open to make it appear that vehicle had broken down. After a few hours, they took Kalia back to Arthur Road Jail.
After the constables came under the scanner, senior officials analysed their call data records for all those days when Kalia attended court hearings.
