Politics in posting, again

MUMBAI, MAY 28: Political interference in the transfers of police officers reached its peak on Tuesday, with the senior inspector at Kurla ...

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MUMBAI, MAY 28: Political interference in the transfers of police officers reached its peak on Tuesday, with the senior inspector at Kurla police station, V B Phad, considered close to Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde, being transferred to the Mata Ramabai Ambedkar Marg police station. The MRA Marg police station is the “most sought after and lucrative” police station in the city.

To make way for Phad and “to please Munde”, the order dated March 31, 1997 transferring senior PI Uday Shinde from Dadar police station to MRA Marg police station was cancelled yesterday.

Shinde is known to be close to former CM Sharad Pawar, and many senior officers say this has not pleased Munde much. He will continue to head the Dadar police station. Shinde’s posting at MRA Marg police station had created a controversy two months ago as another senior inspector K K Garje close to Munde privately demanded that he be posted at MRA Marg. Garje is presently posted at Vakola police station. Sources say Shinde’s transfer was stalled only because of Garje’s wish. It is also said that Garje has been promised a transfer at “some other good police station.”

Apart from Phad, 19 other senior inspectors have also been transferred on Tuesday. The list is as follows: U S Bhalerao from Vikhroli police station to the arms and ammunition department, Y D Tapase from Tilaknagar station to special branch I (detection of crime), K D Gosavi from SB I to Nirmal Nagar station, V N Patil from Nirmal Nagar station to north-west control room, A B Deshmukh from Mahim to L division, M R Ghorpade from Pydhonie police station to crime branch, R A Musale from L division to Tilak Nagar police station, S B Phadke from crime branch to Vikhroli police station, N A Chougule from Oshiwara police station to crime branch, B B Padwal-Patil from crime branch to Mahim police station, M M Rathod from Nehru Nagar police station to SB I, detection of crime, S J Lahade from Ghatkopar to Pydhonie police station, D E Gajul from Dharavi to Ghatkopar police station, S M Naik from SB I, detection of crime to Nehru Nagar police station, A V Sankhe from L division to Kurla police station, A S Kadam from north-west control room to Oshiwara police station, A B Pote from Agripada police station to crime branch, R K Rathod from SB II, detection of crime to Agripada police station and D S Ambapkarss, from SB I, detection of crime to Dharavi police station.