Mumbai cop goes beyond call of duty, helps Kashmiri man claim Rs 52,000 provident fund

Shoukat Ali, a resident of Kashmir, is all praises for the Mumbai Police, after a senior inspector from Charkop police station helped him claim provident fund (PF) that was stuck at the PF office in Kandivli since March.

Ali, who had worked for a private company in Kashmir in 2013, could not visit his firm’s head office in Mumbai or the PF office in Kandivli owing to financial constraints. Moreover, he needed the money to pay for his daughter’s school fees.

For more than a month, Ali was trying to contact officials at the PF office over the phone to check for updates regarding the clearance of Rs 52,000. Not being tech-savvy delayed the process, as Ali could not fill the form online. Moreover, poor speed and impromptu shutdowns of internet service in the valley compounded his problem.

After numerous failed attempts to contact the PF office, Ali searched for ‘Mumbai Police’ online and found the number of Charkop police station, which is located near the PF office. He called on the landline and spoke to senior inspector Hemant Sawant.

After listening to Ali’s problem, Sawant decided to help him. He personally visited the PF office to get an update. Later, Sawant couriered a form to Ali and called him to explain the reasons behind the delay in releasing the money. Ali filled the form and sent it back to Sawant, who submitted it at the PF office.

Ali said, “I have been told that money will come into my account in the next 15 days. A trip to Mumbai would cost me at least Rs 10,000. Although I’ve never met Sawant sir, he went out of his way to help me. I’m grateful to Mumbai Police.”

Sawant said he was glad that he could help Ali.