08 June,2011 06:35 AM IST | | Kaumudi Gurjar
Major security loopholes were exposed on the old premises of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) near Sangam Bridge after a theft attempt was discovered on Sunday at the Investigation Room, where sensitive documents related to the urban land ceiling (ULC) case are stored. The attempt was foiled by an on-duty constable. The policeman blew his whistle, and the unknown people fled the scene. The Khadki police feel that the attempt was not made by those involved in the scam but by slum boys looking for material to sell in the scrap market. Still, the incident has thrown light on the lack of security at the CID office.
Not well protected: The insufficiently lit and poorly guarded old
premises of the CID near Sangam Bridge. Pics/Jignesh Mistry
CID sources say the area where the documents were kept is poorly lit and only one police constable is deployed at night. This, despite the fact that the ULC scam was once referred by the court as bigger than the Adarsh scam. The ULC scam cost the state government about Rs 300 crore and is said to involve a nexus of builders, politicians and bureaucrats. The case is that bogus orders were passed under the ULC Act to avoid surrendering excess land to the state.
In the Sunday night incident, three unidentified people tried to break into the ULC scam investigation room. The room where the documents related to all the 29 cases are stored is poorly guarded. A CID officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that often addicts from the nearby Patil Estate slums enter the premises and steal pipes and other material to sell in the scrap market for money to fuel their addiction. He added that these instances had been increasing after the security at the old premises was reduced when the entire CID shifted to Pashan.
Superintendent of Police, Economic Offenses Wing, R V Bival said, "The documents related to ULC scam are safe. It is true that the building is facing security issue and we are aware of that. The local police station is irregular in patrolling and I feel it is the duty of the city police to provide adequate security."u00a0 The case was registered at the Khadki police station. Police station in-charge PI Vilas Gavali said, "We suspect this is an attempt of theft by boys residing in the slum area. However, we are regularly patrolling the area as the residence of the district judge is opposite the CID office. Regarding the unavailability of electricity, we will inform the concerned agency to look into the matter."
Historical building
The building which houses the state CID office near Sangam Bridge is of historical importance. Till 1928, it housed the district sessions court. When the district court shifted to new premises in Shivajinagar in November 1928, the old building was allotted to the CID. The trial of the renowned revolutionary Vasudev Balvant Phadke and his comrades was held in the main building. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1879 and deported.
