Padsalgikar to head for US on shoe scam probe

May 19: Newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) Dattatray Padsalgikar will replace his predecessor Sanjay Pa...

May 19: Newly appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing) Dattatray Padsalgikar will replace his predecessor Sanjay Pandey as a co-commissioner to probe into the foreign links of the Rs 1,500 crore cobbler scam.

“Originally, Pandey was to visit the United States. However, since Padsalgikar has replaced him, he (Padsalgikar) will visit the US for investigations,” stated a senior official.

Pandey had been appointed by the United States department of Justice as a co-commissioner to investigate the links of the scam in the US following a letter rogatory from the Mumbai police. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate had in March 1997 issued a letter rogatory to the US to permit investigations there in view of the fact that one of the accused was a green card holder.

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Though the Commissioner of Police had recommended Pandey for the job, he could not go as the proposal for his transfer had already been received, the official said.

“Padsalgikar is an equally competent police officer, and will be able to unearth the foreign links of the businessmen involved in the multi-crore-rupee scam.”