Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Sunday
suspended five police personnel, including an IPS officer, for
allegedly attending a Christmas-eve party thrown by the Chhota
Rajan gang even as the tainted officials denied the charge.
"The police personnel who attended the party (organised
by Rajan gang members) were suspended," Chief Minister Ashok
Chavan told reporters at Pune.
The suspended five police men are Deputy Police
Commissioner V N Salve, Assistant Police Commissioner Prakash
Wani, Senior Inspector Tulsidas Khakar, Inspector S Khalatkar,
and constable Talu Salunke.
Salve was in-charge of intelligence gathering and
providing security to VIPs, while Wani was responsible for the
Crime Branch's operations in Mumbai's Eastern suburbs.
The decision comes a day after Mumbai Police Commissioner
D Sivanandan recommended the officials' suspension following
allegations that they attended the party.
Asked if the episode would taint the image of the state
police, the chief minister said, "Action has to be taken if
something is wrong."
The decision to suspend the police officials was taken by
Chavan after holding a meeting with Home Minister R R Patil.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, January 03, 2010, 18:17