Moral policing sting operation: One constable suspended, 3 under scanner

After mid-day’s sting that showed Mumbai Police officers using moral policing as a weapon to extort money, one of the constables in the report has been suspended

After mid-day’s sting that showed Mumbai Police officers using moral policing as a weapon to extort money, one of the constables in the report has been suspended. Constable Santosh Gosalkar of Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) police station was not named in the story and was caught on tape taking a bribe. Despite being explicitly instructed to not trouble couples in public places, the constables were found extorting money from the undercover reporters.

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Constable Santosh Gosalkar was caught on camera taking a bribe at Bharat Nagar, BKC

mid-day had published the report on February 1 and after a quick inquiry, ordered by the Commissioner of Police, Gosalkar was suspended the very next day. The other three cops are still under the scanner, as their inquiry reports have not been submitted yet.

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Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni said, “While Gosalkar was suspended on February 2, immediately after the report was published in the newspaper, we are still awaiting the detailed reports of the inquiry on the remaining three constables conducted by the respected ACPs of their jurisdiction. After they submit their reports, decision on them shall be taken.”

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A mid-day reporter was also summoned by the ACPs conducting the inquiry, to record his statement and the newspaper had then also given them the tapes of the sting operation.

Since the report was published a day after the new Commissioner of Police Datta Padsalgikar took office, he warned all the officers at a crime conference he held. “It was the first crime conference called by the new CP and there were several topics to discuss. He warned his officers to stop acting as moral police and the corruption taking place as he wouldn’t tolerate that at all,” said a senior police officer requesting anonymity.

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