Even as Daddy trailer hits screens, Navi Mumbai cops refuse to take action against Arjun Rampal, who broke the law and met Arun Gawli in hospital, which Mumbai police declared as cognisable offence last year
Arun Gawli (right) Arjun Rampal in a still from Daddy
Arjun Rampal must have really got into character for his turn as gangster Arun Gawli in Daddy. He certainly seems to hold a similar sway over cops. Why else would the Navi Mumbai police refuse to take action against the actor, who brazenly broke the law and met the convict in hospital, which Mumbai police declared as a cognisable offence last year?
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Arun Gawli is serving a life sentence at Taloja jail
While Daddy is slated for release early next year, Rampal has already been making waves with his performance as the underworld don. Talk about getting into character – even before he started filming, Rampal emulated Gawli’s criminal streak by breaking the law and arranging a covert meeting with the murder convict while he was at JJ Hospital in 2014.
Read Story: Mumbai police summons Arjun Rampal for 'unauthorised' meeting with Arun Gawli
Arjun Rampal plays the convict in the upcoming movie, Daddy
When the secret meeting came to light in the beginning of last year, Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria ordered an inquiry into the incident, and the JJ Marg police even called the actor for questioning.
Chance meeting?
Rampal told the police that on December 28, 2014, he was scouting locations for filming when he visited JJ Hospital and learnt that Gawli was also there for a check-up. He admitted that that he met the gangster for about 10 minutes so he could prepare for the upcoming film.
Gawli, who is convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence at Taloja Jail, had been escorted to the hospital by Navi Mumbai police.
Also Read: Mumbai: Met Arun Gawli for just 10 mins, Arjun Rampal tells cops
While the inquiry was going on, the three cops who were on the escort team were suspended on the charge of dereliction of duty. However, no action was taken against the actor.
The JJ Marg police even sent the inquiry report to the Navi Mumbai CDP headquarters in April last year, stating in no uncertain terms that the actor had broken the law, but nothing came of it. “The inquiry concluded that the actor’s meeting with the gangster amounts to a cognisable offence and further lawful action must be taken,” said a senior IPS officer from Mumbai Police.
Another IPS officer told mid-day, “Initially, the JJ Marg police station had sent the inquiry report to Navi Mumbai police, but they refused to act on it stating that a police station is not the competent authority to send such an inquiry report to another police commissionerate. So, Mumbai Police’s DCP Zone 1 office then sent the report again — after it was certified by the then CP. But no action was taken.”
The other side
mid-day contacted DCP Vishwas Pandhere, who was then the DCP Headquarters, Navi Mumbai. All he said was: “I don’t remember the development of the case as I was transferred to another posting in April 2015.”
This reporter also spoke to his successor, Navi Mumbai DCP (Traffic) Arvind Salve, who holds the additional charge of DCP HQ. However, he also said that he is unaware of the details of the case. Senior officials have said that they will look into what action was taken on the inquiry report.
When mid-day tried to contact Rampal, his PR Chantelle Cabral said the actor is currently in New York. She added, “I don’t know about the case; Mr Rampal is personally looking into it.”
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