Sub inspector suspended for alleged extortion over minor accident

A police sub inspector in Navi Mumbai has been suspended for allegedly extorting money from a man over a minor accident that didn't happen in his jurisdiction. The officer extorted ₹70,000 from the complainant's father by threatening to press serious charges.

Navi Mumbai

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A police sub inspector attached to Vashi police station was suspended by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone I, for allegedly extorting money from a Sanpada man over a minor accident that did not even happen in his jurisdiction.

The officer identified as Krishna Kute, a police sub-inspector of Vashi police station, had extorted ₹70,000 from the father of the complainant by threatening to press charges against him under serious cases. On October 30, Murtaja Patravala (24), a resident of Sanpada Sector-19, was coming to Sanpada from Mumbai in his Maruti Swift car around 8:30 pm when his car collided with a white Ciaz car at the signal of Mankhurd. Even though the incident was a minor one with no injuries at all to any of the parties and also the place of incident was in Mumbai, PSI Kute of Vashi Police Station called Patravala to Vashi Police Station for enquiry in the accident. The one whose was driving Ciaz car approached the nearest police station which was Vashi police station and met PSI Kute.

“In such incidents the parties are not called to police station as it is a very minor incident and yet the PSI got the mobile number from the registration number of the car from RTO and called Patravala to the police station. He should have also verified the place of incidence and figured out the jurisdiction. That too was not done by him,” DCP Vivek Pansare, Zone I, said.

Kute called Patravala to the police station and shut the door of the cabin and slapped him and also asked him to apologise to the Ciaz car owner by falling at his feet. He also made Patravala to go down on his knees and threatened him with cases of attempt to murder and hit and run and to avoid the same he asked PAtravala to do the ‘settlement’. Patravala was then made to pay ₹30,000 to the Ciaz car owner as compensation and then PSI Kute demanded ₹40,000 for himself following which PAtravala’s father came to the police station with the amount and paid to Kute.

After the money exchange, Patravala was allowed to go. Patravala then wrote a complaint to Navi Mumbai Commissioner of Police and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone I. Taking cognizance of the complaint, Kute was suspended.

“A preliminary enquiry would be set up following which a departmental enquiry will happen,” Pansare added. During the suspension period, Kute has been asked to mark his biometric attendance at commissioner office.