In the final week of December, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde received a letter revealing allegations of abuse against eight female constables working in the Motor transport department. The letter accuses senior police officials of sexual assault, gender discrimination, and serious charges of corruption. This letter went viral on social media on Saturday.
Women's commission takes cognisance
Rupali Chakankar, the chief of Maharashtra Women's Commission, took cognisance of the letter on Thursday and informed on X that the women panel has directed Mumbai police to probe the matter and present the report.
"It has come to light through various media that a female police officer in the motor transport department of the Mumbai Police has complained through a letter that she is being sexually harassed by a senior police officer. The State Commission for Women has taken cognizance of this and the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai has been directed to verify the authenticity of this matter and send a factual report immediately," Chakankar wrote.
Mumbai police deny allegations mentioned in viral letter
Soon after the post by women's commission chief, the Mumbai Police responded saying they have probed the entire matter and found out that the information provided in the letter completely wrong, and is a conspiracy of some miscreants.
"When we got in-depth information about the matter and inquired about the mentioned applicants, we realised that they did not make the said application but their names and signatures were used mischievously by some unknown person. The said information is completely wrong and it is understood that some miscreants have done the said act deliberately," the Mumbai Police said on its X handle.
"As mentioned in the said application, no such incident has happened. However, we are taking appropriate legal action against those who have mischievously made this application. We are submitting an official report to your office regarding this," the police told women's body chief.
What were the allegations?
Eight female police constables working in the Nagpada Motor Transport Department of the Mumbai Police alleged repeated sexual assault by three senior police officials. The letter also states that after facing sexual harassment, the female police personnel were forcibly subjected to abortion. Mumbai Police Commissioner Eknath Shinde and Deputy Commissioner of Police received this information through a letter and have initiated an inquiry into the matter.
The letter also mentioned, "Since we came from a small village, we were taken advantage of. We were sexually assaulted by our superiors who took us to the government residence after luring us to not give us any duder work. Also, women constables were repeatedly assaulted by seniors threatening to make videos of them having physical relations and make them viral."
