Vasai cop suspected of selling seized goods, suspended

Mangal Gaikwad

A woman head constable from Vasai police station has been suspended on the suspicion of misappropriating seized goods. Store in-charge, Head Constable Mangal Gaikwad, was suspended on March 12 after her seniors found her answers regarding the cutting of a seized vehicle unsatisfactory. An inquiry into the matter is underway, under which an audit of all seized evidence right from 1985 is being conducted.

Senior officers at Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police said things like cash, jewellery, vehicles, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, etc are part of the audit. "The FIR will be registered after the audit of misappropriated articles is completed," said a senior officer, requesting anonymity.

Seized vehicles at Vasai police station. Pics/Hanif Patel

The matter came to light on March 12 when senior police officers noticed a scrap dealer cutting a seized vehicle at Vasai police station. "The zonal DCP Sanjay Patil, had ordered the cleaning of the police station. On March 12, when the senior inspector was inspecting seized vehicles, a scrap dealer, Mushtaq bhangarwala was cutting a vehicle parked at the police station for a long time," said another police officer.

"When the senior inspector asked him who told him to cut the seized vehicles Mushtaq named Gaikwad. She had gone to the Palghar treasury office that day on official work," the officer added. On being questioned, Gaikwad denied having given Mushtaq the order. "Gaikwad told us that she had only asked Mushtaq to check how these seized vehicles can be removed to keep the police premises clean," the officer added.

However, Gaikwad's seniors were not satisfied with her answer and she was suspended. Police also recovered 17 tonnes of scrap from Mushtaq, said a source. DCP Patil has ordered an inquiry, which requires an audit of lost seized property.

Gaikwad joined Vasai police in 2014 as an assistant to the storekeeper. "She was made in charge of the store in 2016. It seems she has been misappropriating seized articles since then," the source added.
Another police source added, "Around 10-12 grams of gold jewellery seized in an Economic Offences Wing case is missing."

Police also found the sealed pack of seized jewellery tampered with. "When asked how the seal got tampered with, she said she wanted to weigh the gold jewellery. But she has no right to tinker with evidence," an officer said.

Another officer added, "There is no diary entry for a few surplus vehicles. In some cases, details of returned vehicles are not updated." In addition, seized cash is kept in a separate bank account in the name of ‘Senior Police Inspector'. "The account is short of R7 lakh. She is not giving us a satisfactory answer about it," the officer added. "The misappropriation of seized property will affect the prosecution of cases. The matter will dent the police's image," a senior officer said.

What the constable says
Gaikwad told mid-day she is being falsely implicated. "I am a widow and a mother of two. I am being falsely implicated by my colleagues who did not like my honest work," Gaikwad said.

She added, "In February, the DCP told us to keep the police premises cleaned of seized vehicles. I was only following my senior's orders." Gaikwad joined the force in 2006. "I live in a rented house in Vasai.
I told senior officers I am innocent but a departmental enquiry has been initiated against me. I have not told my relatives about it," she added. Gaikwad's residence is yet to be raided. Cops at the police station believe that she sold off seized valuables.