3 cops held for cheating businessman

Nehru Nagar police arrested three policemen, who along with a small time social worker had allegedly cheated a businessman of Rs 5 lakh. The accused had allegedly promised to search for the businessman’s daughter, who had eloped.

Nehru Nagar police arrested three policemen, who along with a small time social worker had allegedly cheated a businessman of Rs 5 lakh. The accused had allegedly promised to search for the businessman’s daughter, who had eloped.

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The accused policemen have been identified as Rohit Sawant, posted with the Special branch I, Vijay Makare, police naik, attached with the Nehru Nagar police station and Bharat Pandit, police naik attacked with the Chembur police station. “The three policemen were arrested following the orders of the Metropolitan Court at Vikhroli. The Court held that the trio was party to the crime,” said Dilip Sawant, deputy commissioner of police, Zone VI.

According to the Nehru Nagar police, on September 25, Ambalal Patel (51), owner of Milan Dry Fruits, located at Kurla (East) lodged a complaint of cheating and criminal intimidation with the Nehru Nagar police against Yusuf Patel (33), a small time social worker and his accomplices.

“In September last year, Andheri resident Ambalal, whose daughter, Anita (22) had allegedly eloped with Hamir Faffal (29) and married against the father’s wishes, had complained to the Nehru Nagar police alleging that Yusuf, a self-proclaimed social worker had demanded Rs 5 lakh on the promise of searching for his daughter,” said an officer of the Nehru Nagar police station.

“At the time of cash payment, three accomplices were also present. During the course of investigations, it was learnt that the accomplices were policemen,” said Sawant.

Police said that Anita had eloped with Hamir and married him on June 11, 2009. “Even though they had a court marriage, Ambalal didn’t approve of this as Hamir was from a poor family,” said an officer.

Ambalal then approached Yusuf and believed the latter, paying him the amount on June 16, 2009, in lieu of getting his daughter back. “As a proof to the deal, he even recorded the payment made, in a CCTV camera. The complainant later approached the Vikhroli court and produced the CCTV footage before Metropolitan Magistrate which ordered an inquiry into the matter,” added another officer.

The three policemen were produced before a Vikhroli court which remanded them in police custody till Thursday.