Probe against cops who let doctor escape

A day after a 44-year-old doctor, booked for rape, escaped from the police while being escorted to Khar police station from his residence at Dadar Parsi Colony on Saturday, the police are yet to arrest the accused. However, an inquiry has been ordered against the officers escorting the doctor.

A day after a 44-year-old doctor, booked for rape, escaped from the police while being escorted to Khar police station from his residence at Dadar Parsi Colony on Saturday, the police are yet to arrest the accused. However, an inquiry has been ordered against the officers escorting the doctor.

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Vishwas Nangre-Patil, additional commissioner of police (west region) ordered a departmental inquiry against the sub-inspector level officer and two constables. “The divisional assistant commissioner of police will conduct an inquiry into the incident to ascertain if there was any negligence on the part of the policemen that led to Sonawala’s escape,” said Nangre-Patil.

A 26-year-old woman, a resident of Ghatkopar, had alleged that Dr Rustom Sonawala raped her when she had visited him for tuberculosis treatment at his clinic at Carter Road, Bandra (West), at 6pm on Friday.

The police said Sonawala had requested that he be allowed to come to the police station in his own car. The officer agreed and sat in the car with them, while the constable followed them in a cab. When the vehicle reached Dadar TT, Sonawala slowed down, opened the door and pretended to get out, the police said.

“Assuming he was trying to escape, the officer got out of the car to catch him, but Sonawala suddenly turned on the central lock and fled,” said senior police inspector Mangesh Pote from the Khar police station.