Mumbai: Reopen closed extortion case against two constables, railway court orders

The railway court on Friday rejected the summary report filed by the government railway police (GRP) officers and asked them to represent the case against two constables who were accused of extorting money from outstation train passengers at Tilak Nagar railway station.

The railway court on Friday rejected the summary report filed by the government railway police (GRP) officers and asked them to represent the case against two constables who were accused of extorting money from outstation train passengers at Tilak Nagar railway station.

The railway court on Friday rejected the summary report filed by the government railway police (GRP) officers and asked them to represent the case against two constables who were accused of extorting money from outstation train passengers at Tilak Nagar railway station. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to the metropolitan magistrate court, there was sufficient evidence in the case to try the constables for extortion and assaulting the complainant Ajay Bose on February 22, 2017.

According to the complainant Bose, who worked as a booking clerk in railways at Tilak Nagar railway station, he had witnessed two constables from Wadala GRP Pravin Patil and Sunit Chauhan, who were on duty at the exit gate, extorting money from passengers by checking their luggage, claiming security procedures and demanding money after spotting any flammable substance, even the hair oil or gutkha etc. Bose began recording a video on his mobile phone but was spotted by the constables and was assaulted by three people including the constables.

The accused then deleted the video on his phone. The complainant registered a first information report (FIR) against the two constables under section 384 of the Indian Penal Code for extortion.

The investigating officer and assistant commissioner of police Machindra Chauhan had then filed a summary report in front of the court after he found no evidence to book the accused.

Bose followed the case and recovered the CCTV recordings of the spot showing the two men and the complainant recording the video. With the help of forensics, Bose also recovered the deleted video of 30 seconds showing the accused making enquiries with the passengers.

The court observed that a prima face case was established against the accused for extortion, voluntarily causing hurt and destruction of evidence along with common intention. The court then ordered the rejection of the summary report filed by the assistant commissioner of police and asked the police to represent the case in front of the court.