Mumbai: The sub-inspector who went missing on Saturday following an altercation with a senior officer at Santacruz police station was found on Monday at his friend’s residence in Rahuri.
About The Incident
Rahul Kokate, 33, was allegedly humiliated by senior inspector Rajendra Kane in front of his colleagues. Sources claimed that Kane has been targeting junior officers who gave statements against him during a departmental inquiry. This probe was initiated when a junior officer complained to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-9), accusing Kane of preventing the filing of an FIR in an extortion case.
According to sources, Kokate had an altercation with Kane, following which he went missing and switched off his mobile phone. His wife, daughter (who is in Solapur), and his mother (in Ahmednagar) attempted to contact him, but his phone remained switched off. Before leaving Mumbai, Kokate reportedly submitted his resignation to a high-ranking officer, citing mental harassment.
Statement Of A Police Officer
A police officer said, “Senior Inspector Kane forces us to engage in illegal activities, and when we refuse, he harasses junior officers. He has specifically been targeting five or six officers who testified against him. He uses insulting language and deliberately finds mistakes to send them show-cause notices. Other officers do not face such harassment. Both Kane and crime inspector Amar Patil have behaved the same way.”
Recently, a junior officer, Sharad Landge, complained about Kane to the DCP. Although a departmental inquiry was initiated, sources within the police feel the punishment Kane received was lenient, considering the allegations. A source also revealed that Kane is close to an MLA, which may explain the lack of stern action.
About A Case
In March, Mahesh Gami, a textile merchant from Gujarat residing in Santacruz for the past two years, filed an extortion complaint against four persons, two of whom had helped him remove a liquor shop from his farm in Gujarat. The accused, allegedly involved with the sand mafia and linked to a political party, had already received Rs 3 lakh and were demanding an additional Rs 5-6 lakh. They reportedly came to Mumbai, stayed at a BJP politician’s hotel in MIDC, and threatened Gami.
When Gami filed his complaint, Landge led the probe and issued notices to the accused. However, Kane refused to approve the FIR. Gami then approached DCP Raj Tilak Roushan, who ordered that the FIR be filed. Despite this, Kane only filed a non-cognisable offence. Following another meeting between Gami and the DCP, the FIR was finally registered on April 18.
In this matter, Landge filed a complaint against Kane with the DCP, and a departmental inquiry was initiated. When the FPJ contacted Kane and other high-ranking officers, they remained unresponsive.
