Cop suspended for violating protocol while booking, arresting doctor

The senior inspector had been questioned by his seniors after he registered the FIR against Dr Atul Wankhede last month, for allegedly using a forged master’s degree to practice as an orthopaedic surgeon in a hospital in the western suburbs. The doctor was subsequently arrested from his residence in Juhu

MUMBAI: Mumbai police commissioner Deven Bharti on Tuesday suspended senior police inspector Ravindra Katkar for registering a First Information Report (FIR) against a doctor and arresting him in violation of protocols and without informing his seniors.

Police commissioner Deven Bharti (in pic) suspended senior police inspector Ravindra Katkar on Tuesday (Hindustan Times)

The senior inspector had been questioned by his seniors after he registered the FIR against Dr Atul Wankhede last month, for allegedly using a forged master’s degree to practice as an orthopaedic surgeon in a hospital in the western suburbs. The doctor was subsequently arrested from his residence in Juhu.

“When the doctor was produced before a metropolitan magistrate court, the court rejected our prayer for his police custody and instead remanded him to judicial custody,” said a police officer.

Dr Wankhede was granted bail the same day, April 29, with the court observing that no purpose would be served by keeping him in judicial custody as the probe was going to take a long time.

The doctor’s counsel had told the court that his MS (master’s) degree was from Seychelles and he had never used any forged degree to find employment. He had also alleged violations and non-compliance with statutory provisions during the doctor’s arrest.

“There were doubts about jurisdiction when the FIR against the doctor who practised in the western suburbs was registered in Worli. Later, it was found that Katkar had not followed protocols while arresting him. Hence, he was suspended,” said the officer quoted earlier.