Probe on to find who wrote letter levelling rape charges against police officers

Mumbai police investigating who wrote a letter alleging sexual exploitation and harassment against officials after constables deny any involvement.

Mumbai: The Mumbai police is investigating who wrote the letter levelling allegations of sexual exploitation and mental harassment against three officials in its motor transport department after six of the eight female constables whom the letter was attributed to denied any role in it.

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The letter was addressed to chief minister Eknath Shinde and top officers of Mumbai police. Written under the name of eight female constables who were recently transferred to police stations as drivers, it alleged they were raped and harassed repeatedly by their immediate superiors since last November.

“Initially, we were investigating the allegations of rape charges, which are extremely serious. But since six of the eight constables visited me and claimed they had not written the letter, we are now trying to find out who wrote it,” said A Jaykumar, joint commissioner of police (administration). Two other constables whose names were included among authors are currently on leave, said a senior police officer familiar with the inquiry.

According to the letter, its purported authors were either from poor families or their parents were dead, which was why they worked hard to secure a job in the police department. It named three senior officials from the police’s motor transport department and alleged they had been sexually exploiting the female constables at various locations including their ante chambers and residences since last November. The officials allegedly shot obscene videos of the constables, asked them for revealing videos, and accepted a monthly bribe of ₹1,000 after threatening them with transfer or dismissal.

The letter further alleged that when the victims objected and complained to a senior officer, they were transferred as drivers. The were also allegedly told by an orderly of the officer that their complaint would not be heard even by the “home minister as the officer had paid ₹20 lakh for his promotion.”

The letter went on to state that the victims had pleaded with authorities to investigate the matter and even seize their mobile phones as evidence to prove harassment charges, but to no avail.