Patil asks 8 cops to explain missing file

Amid controversy over the quality of the bullet-proof vest worn by slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare during 26/11, the Maharashtra government asked eight senior officers about the missing status of a file relating to the purchase of jackets on a high court direction.

Home Minister R R Patil has dashed off letters to eight senior police officers asking them to “clarify” how a file on the purchase of bulletproof jackets for the police force had gone missing. The file resurfaced later.

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He has given the officers (see box) one month to respond.

A PIL filed by social activist Santosh Daundkar, questioning the quality of the bulletproof vest worn by slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare on 26/11, had revealed that the file on the purchase of jackets had gone missing from the Mumbai police commissioner’s office. Daundkar stated that he was told about the missing file in April 2009.

HT was the first to report, on December 24, 2009, that the file had resurfaced and that three clerks from the commissioner’s office faced suspension. An inquiry conducted by additional commissioner of police (operations) Sandeep Bishnoi revealed the file had been in the office though it was reported missing. Some of its pages were missing, while some others were found in other files.

“The file is there, but there are important pages missing. We have sent letters to all eight officers seeking clarification on the lapse in supervision,” Patil said on Friday.