The case was filed following mid-day's exposé of how cops allowed dreaded terrorist Mustafa Dossa to meet his wife Shabina Khatri on journey to Gujarat court
The Mumbai Police on Tuesday night filed an FIR against the seven escort officers, Shabina Khatri, alleged wife of deceased gangster Mustafa Dossa, and Dossa's aide Naeem. The FIR is the result of a series of reports highlighting how the escort party allowed Khatri to accompany Dossa on an overnight train journey, while he was being taken to Porbandar for a court hearing in the 1993 serial blasts. After filing the FIR, the investigation was handed over to the crime branch.
Mustafa Dossa in the train with Shabina Khatri
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The NM Joshi Marg police filed the FIR against the officer in-charge of the escort team, Assistant Police Inspector Ayaz Patel, six constables, Khatri and Naeem. The complainant in the case is Additional Commissioner of Police Pravin Padwal, who conducted the inquiry after special TADA court judge G A Sanap order one following mid-day's expose.
Also read - mid-day impact: Court orders action against cops over Dossa's date night
The same court, on November 7, had passed an order and directed initiation of appropriate action against people found guilty in the report. The joint commissioner of law and order, in addition to the departmental inquiry, can independently consider filing charges against them as submitted by Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salvi.
Split wide open
On January 2, mid-day had exposed Dossa, one of the last few terrorists still standing trial for his role in the 1993 blasts, enjoying an overnight train ride with Khatri, with the police team tasked with escorting him looking the other way. Two days later, Salvi had brought it to the attention of the court, and it had directed JCP (law and order) Deven Bharti to appoint an officer for conducting an inquiry. Bharti had then appointed Padwal (then DCP of zone III) for it. Padwal, in his statement, said he was handed over the investigation by the court. During the investigation, they found evidence against all, based on which they filed a report before the court.
Also read: Romantic train ride! If not Mustafa Dossa's then whose wife is she anyway?
The next step
ACP (crime branch) Padmakar Chavan, who will be investigating the case, said the accused would be arrested at the appropriate time. According to a police officer, the accused officer had taken Rs 25,000 for allowing Khatri to travel with Dossa, which he confessed to later.
Booked in the books
Speaking to mid-day, Special Public Prosecutor Deepak Salvi said, "The officers, as per court's order, are to take action against those involved in the offence. Now that FIR's been filed, they will file a charge sheet soon." As per the FIR, the accused have been booked under sections 166 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 177 (furnishing false information), 218 (public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfei ture), 219 (public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law), 116 (abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment), 119 (public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent), 416 (cheating by personation), 417 (cheating), 419 (cheating by personation) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code along with relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act against the in-charge officer and the constables.
Rs 25k
The amount the alleged accused officer had taken for allowing Shabina Khatri to travel with Mustafa Dossa on the train
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