Mumbai, Jan 07: In yet another senior Mumbai police official getting ensnared in fake Stamp paper scam, Deputy Commissioner of Police Pradeep Sawant was tonight arrested under a stringent law of Maharashtra against organized crime for allegedly shielding prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi.
The arrest of Sawant, DCP special branch, followed his over two-hour interrogation by the Special Investigating Team at its Worli office this evening, SIT sources told. Sawant would be produced before a special court tomorrow for remand, the sources added.
Sawant is facing the allegation of going soft on Telgi when the latter was in custody of Mumbai police during November 2003 to January 2003 for 85 days. At that time, he was the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch, Mumbai. During the same period, Telgi was taken by police to places such as Goa and Hyderabad allegedly for pleasure and business transactions allegedly with secret funds of police department, Sit sources said.
These funds could only be used with the sanction of an officer of the rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch. Sawant was then officiating in that capacity although he denied before SIT that he had sanctioned the funds, the sources said.
Bureau Report