The goon tried to snatch an assistant police inspector's gun at a nakabandi but was let off after paying a fine, allegedly owing to pressure from his boss
If sources from the police force are to be believed, then some of the officials from Dahisar police station helped Chhota Rajan aide Suresh Joshi alias Surya escape the clutches of the law, as they are hand-in-glove with a local gangster Dharmenda Waydankar alias Lodhu, Surya’s boss.
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According to sources, Surya is a history-sheeter and is man Friday of Lodhu, who allegedly runs a rickshaw parking racket in Vaishali Nagar in Dahisar (E). The sources also revealed that Lodhu charges Rs 10 per night from each of the over 3,000 auto drivers who park their vehicles on the plot. “A part of this amount is paid to local police officers for protection,” said a police officer, requesting anonymity.
On May 24, Surya along with some associates, all inebriated, were stopped during a nakabandi at Dahisar check naka for misbehaviour. Not far behind, on patrol duty, was a Dahisar police mobile van with a few policemen on board, including constable A Rajput and assistant police inspector Sunil Shivaji Borkar.
Speaking to MiD DAY Borkar said, “We noticed a commotion at the naka and decided to take a look.” A chaotic scene awaited them. Several policemen were trying to arrest Surya who had put up a resistance. When cops inside the patrol van went to assist, said sources, Surya lunged at the van’s driver and tried to pull him out of the vehicle. When Borkar went to help the driver, Surya pounced on him.
“He lunged at me and tried to take my revolver. Eventually we were able to restrain him,” said Borkar. Following the scuffle, Surya was taken to the Dahisar police station.
At the police station, instead of filing an FIR, Surya was booked under the Bombay Police Act — allegedly due to pressure on officers from Lodhu — and was let off after paying a fine.
The other side
Senior Inspector Ansar Pirjade of Dahisar police station said, “There is no record of any FIR or NC been registered against Surya in May. He was caught just once for misbehaving, and was challaned and released. None of the officers of this police station are involved in any sort of corrupt practices. As for Waydankar, he has occupied a disputed plot of land and has been letting it out for rickshaw parking. We have been working on finding something incriminating against him, but so far we have nothing.” Mumbai Police PRO DCP Nisar Tamboli said, “If there is any substance in these allegations then we will look into them.”