Embarrassed over the goof-up in the case, top brass orders all police stations to take action on habitual offenders in arms cases and body offences
Badshah
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Left red-faced in the Nashik arms haul fiasco, the Mumbai Police has initiated damage control - the top brass has ordered all police stations and crime branch units to start taking action on habitual offenders involved in arms cases and body offences in their jurisdiction.
Face-saving measures
"We have asked all units to make lists of repeat offenders in their jurisdiction and keep a track on their activity. They have also been told to book offenders who are active, or take preventive action on them," said a senior officer. "Those who are notorious and can cause mischief during New Year's Eve events will be externed."
"Action has to end before December 31; hence, we will be focusing on preventive action," said another police officer. "The incident (Nashik arms haul) has caused the department much embarrassment. To avoid a repeat of it in the future, strict action has been initiated." Despite repeated attempts to contact Joint Commissioner (law and order) Deven Bharti and Commissioner D D Padsalgikar, both remained unavailable.
The boo-boo
The decision came in the aftermath of the flak the department received for letting three youngsters from Central Mumbai, who had looted an arms shop, get away from under its nose. They were later caught at Chandwad in Nashik. Sukka Pasha, a habitual offender from Sewri, and two others were caught by the Chandwad police on February 15, leading to seizure of a huge cache of arms from the Bolero jeep they had been travelling in. Investigation had revealed that the trio had stolen the jeep from Andheri. Later, four personnel at Amboli police station were suspended for not taking down the theft complaint of the jeep owner.
Dad's the word
Mumbai Crime Branch's Anti-Extortion Cell on Wednesday arrested Akbar Pasha, the father of the Nashik arms haul mastermind, Sukka Pasha, from Sewri. They had registered a case against him on Tuesday after a local businessman had approached the RAK Marg police late on Sunday and alleged that Akbar had been harassing him and trying to extort Rs 5 lakh from him.
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