Mumbai: Assistant police inspector Umesh Patil's 'free' ride is likely to get bumpy in the days to come. MiD DAY had caught the Nagpada cop on camera patrolling on a bike with a fake number plate.
Inquiries have revealed that Patil was given the vehicle by a history-sheeter from the area. Patil's superiors had filed a detailed report based on MiD DAY's article and tabled it before the police commissioner, seeking action against the errant cop.
Patil was found riding a Honda Stunner with the number plate MH43-AA-369. The number is actually registered in the name of a retired BEST employee from Airoli for his Honda Shine bike.
One of their own
Following MiD DAY's report, commissioner of police Arup Patnaik initiated an inquiry into the matter and ordered deputy commissioner of police Keshav Jadhav to investigate and submit a report.
The probe so far has revealed that Patil was gifted the two-wheeler by Yakub Shaikh, a history-sheeter from Nagpada. As per police records Yakub had been arrested in two cases of extortion in 1996 and 1997 and a case breach of peace in 2012.
It has not yet been established who actually purchased the bike. The two-wheeler came into Yakub's possession, who put a duplicate number plate on it and eventually gave it to Patil, who was using it for patrolling. Cops are yet to ascertain whether Patil had taken the vehicle from Yakub in exchange of some favour.
Borrowed trouble
When Patil was called to record his statement, he claimed he had borrowed the vehicle from Yakub as his scooter had been sent away for repairs.
Jadhav said, "We have prepared the report and it has been sent to the superiors."
This is not the first such allegation against Patil. In January, the API had been accused of favouring a builder lobby in a land dispute case involving Nagpada residents. When the case went to court, the judge reprimanded Patil and passed a remark that cops need to 'reread the law books'.
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