Absconding IPS officer and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mumbai Saurabh Tripathi suspended last March after being named in an extortion case got a reprieve as the state government decided to reinstate him.
The high power Suspension Review Committee headed by the state Chief Secretary recommended revoking Tripathi's suspension, which was accepted by the government. Now, the state police establishment board will make a decision on his next posting.
Saurabh Tripathi named in extortion case
Tripathi a 2010 IPS officer, was posted as DCP Zone 2, Mumbai and was on the run after an angadia filed an extortion complaint naming him and three others police officers attached to the LT Marg police station. The crime branch arrested Assistant Police Inspector Nitin Kadam and PSI Samadhan Jamdade and Police Inspector Om Wangate who spilled the beans about Tripathi's involvement in the extortion racket.
An FIR was filed against Tripathi for extortion and the Sessions Court had rejected his pre-arrest bail observing that his conduct of absconding after registration of the crime, prima facie reflected his involvement in the offence.
Tripathi evaded police since he knew Police Procedure
“After registration of an offence, the applicant has absconded for a long period. Being an IPS Officer, he has knowledge of Law and Procedure of police for the purpose of investigation. His conduct of absconding after registration of crime, prima facie gives rise (to suspicion) of his prima facie involvement in the offence,” the additional sessions judge AA Kulkarni had observed rejecting his bail.
The crime intelligence unit of the Mumbai Police crime branch arrested Pappu Kumar Pyarelal Gaud, a domestic help with Tripathi’s parents in Lucknow last March for allegedly receiving part of the extortion money sent through hawala channels from Mumbai. His brother-in-law assistant sales tax commissioner Ashutosh Mishra was also arrested from Basti, Uttar Pradesh in the case.
The state home department had sent a proposal to the then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray for Tripathi's suspension which was signed March last year after Mumbai Police Crime Branch declared the IPS officer a wanted accused.
