Cops record murder accused’s statement against senior officer

The Mumbai crime branch has recorded the statement of murder accused Vijay Palande, regarding his complaint against Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief

The Mumbai crime branch has recorded the statement of murder accused Vijay Palande, regarding his complaint against Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Deven Bharti, alleging a nexus between the officer and underworld gangsters. A senior officer, on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Palande’s statement was recorded for more than four hours by an officer of the rank of the deputy commissioner of police.

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Palande is facing charges in three murder cases and is currently in judicial custody.

“Palande was in judicial custody so we submitted an application in court and following the court order he was brought to the crime branch office from the prison on Monday afternoon and his statement was recorded,” said the crime branch officer.

The officer said the Mumbai Police had obtained permission from the sessions court to record Palande’s statement on February 24.

Earlier, the home ministry has stated that it was looking into a complaint submitted by Palande against Bharti.

The ATS chief, however, had denied any wrongdoing, calling the complaint “malicious and furthering a criminal’s agenda”. “A serial killer-gangster, who is accused in six murder cases and other serious cases, is arrested in 2012. He makes a motivated, malicious, and wild complaint in 2018 and it is being peddled in 2020,” said Bharti.

In his complaint, submitted to the chief vigilance commissioner (CVC), Delhi, on December 31, 2018, Palande alleged a nexus between Bharti and underworld gangsters. “He asked me to give details of big businessmen, their phone numbers, and financial worth. Initially, I did not know why he was asking but eventually, I realised he was passing this information to the underworld and then the gangsters were threatening these businessmen for extortion. Subsequently, they went to the crime branch for protection and Bharti handled their cases, advised them to give the money,” reads Palande’s complaint, a copy of which HT has.