Maha suspends DCP Saurabh Tripathi wanted in angadia extortion case

Purportedly acting on Tripathi’s instructions, the three officers allegedly extorted ₹19 lakh from angadias in south Mumbai in the first week of December 2021.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra home department on Tuesday suspended deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Saurabh Tripathi who has been booked in the angadia extortion case in Mumbai.

Tripathi was transferred to the operations branch after registration of the FIR and has not reported on duty since then.

Purportedly acting on Tripathi’s instructions, the three officers allegedly extorted ₹19 lakh from angadias in south Mumbai in the first week of December 2021. The ‘angadias’ are traditional couriers providing money transfer services to businessmen for a commission.

Tripathi was posted as deputy commissioner of police, Zone 2 in Mumbai, when an extortion case was registered on February 18 against three police inspectors -- Om Wangate, assistant police inspector Nitin Kadam and police sub-inspector Samadhan Jamdade.

Tripathi was transferred to the operations branch after registration of the FIR and has not reported on duty since then.

“Tripathi has not informed his superiors about his absence nor has he submitted any medical documents for leave. In the meantime, it has been observed that Tripathi has been exerting pressure on the witnesses in the case registered at LT Marg police station for kidnapping and extortion,” stated the suspension order issued by the home department.

“Government of Maharashtra is satisfied that it is necessary and desirable to place Tripathi, deputy commissioner of police, operations, Mumbai under suspension in accordance with the provision of Rule 3(i) of the All India Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1969. Tripathi is placed under suspension with immediate effect until further orders,” it added.

Tripathi has been incommunicado since the day after the FIR was registered. He is yet to be arrested.

Police sources said his wife has submitted a letter to his superiors in the Mumbai police force a few days ago saying he was unwell and unable to report on duty, but without any supporting medical report.

The Mumbai crime branch has formed five teams to locate the DCP at various places in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. His parents and in-laws were also questioned at his hometown in Lucknow but police 8is yet to know about Tripathi’s whereabouts.

The case is being investigated by the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the crime branch. The CIU has arrested Pappu Kumar Pyarelal Gaud, the domestic help of Tripathi’s parents from Lucknow, on March 17. He is accused of having received part of the extortion money on Tripathi’s instructions. The amount was sent through hawala channels from Mumbai.

Wangate, Kadam, and Jamdade have also been arrested in the case and are in judicial custody, whereas Gaud is in police custody till March 28.

Tripathi was named as an accused after Wangate revealed his name in the interrogation saying that he was acting on Tripathi’s oral directions, said a senior IPS officer.

Tripathi is a 2010 batch IPS officer who has served as ADC to the Governor of Maharashtra. He was later posted as superintendent of police at Ahmednagar and also served as deputy commissioner of police in traffic and also in zone 4.