MUMBAI: Nothing appears to be going good for the Congress-led Democratic Front government in India’s Maharashtra state or for the province’s tainted police force.
On Sunday morning, an embarrassed Chief Minister Ashok Chavan signed the suspension orders of five Mumbai police officials, including a deputy commissioner of police, for dancing at a Christmas party hosted by D.K. Rao, a henchman of underworld don Chotta Rajan who is hiding somewhere in Southeast Asia. The five officers, DCP V.N. Salve of Special Branch, Assistant Commissioner Prakash Wani of the Mumbai Crime Branch, Senior Inspector Ramesh Khakale of Chembur police station, Inspector S. Kohlatkar of the Navi Mumbai Anti Extortion Cell and constable Salunke, were filmed dancing at the party hosted by the aides of Rajan at a Chembur Gymkhana on Christmas day.
Mumbai Police Commissioner D. Shivanandan on Saturday had sent a file to Home Minister Ramesh Bhagwe recommending suspension of the policemen. Bhagwe signed the file on Saturday night and forwarded it to the chief minister, who signed the order of suspension on Sunday morning.
The police procured eight hours of video footage and incriminating photographs of the five policemen from a close aide and former chauffeur of Rajan.
On Friday, Home Minister R.R. Patil ordered an inquiry and, if found guilty, the officers could be dismissed from service.
