RR Patil suspends ACP Mahabole, two other police officers

The state government has suspended three police officers, including ACP Anil Mahabole, pending inquiries into the charges against them.

The state government has suspended three police officers, including ACP Anil Mahabole, pending inquiries into the charges against them.

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While Mahabole has been accused of rape and a police inspector at Satara of harassing a girl, the third officer, from Pune, was suspended on charges of dereliction of duty in investigating the murder of a 16-year-old.

Home minister RR Patil announced the decision in the legislative council where he stressed that the state would not spare the guilty. “We suspended Mahabole and now the inquiry will decide whether he is guilty or not,” Patil said.

In the Satara case, a 17-year-old girl had accused an inspector in the crime branch of harassing her. A probe has already been instituted in the matter. Patil said prima facie it was found that the inspector had called the girl numerous times.

“The inspector has an excellent track record, yet we suspended him to ensure he does not interfere in the probe,” Patil said. “However if he found innocent, we will ensure he joins duty and his track record is not spoiled,” Patil said.

In the third incident, the parents of 16-year-old Shubham Shirke, who was killed by his friends for ransom, blamed the Bhosari police station for inaction on grounds that the case fell outside their jurisdiction. “The policemen there should have adopted a sympathetic approach and helped out. Hence, I am suspending the officer concerned so that it serves as a lesson to others,” Patil said.