Mumbai: Ex-Cyber cop's viral video blows lid off corruption, abuse

IllustrationRavi JadhavA former incharge of the Mumbai polices cyber police station has sparked controversy after she levelled allegations of criminal misconduct and corruption against some of her colleagues in an audio clip which has gone viral within the police department Her claims have put a question mark on the transparency in the citys only cyber police stations functioning Neeta Phadke senior police inspector traffic recently reached out to Sunil Toke mdash the traffic police head constable who shot to fame after he filed a criminal writ petition in the Bombay High Court alleging corruption in his department mdash over a phone callIn the telephonic conversation Phadke who has courted controversy in the past sought help from Toke in exposing the malpractice at the cyber police station The audio clip was later leaked to some cops including Commissioner Datta Padsalgishykar who has ordered a probeHead constable Sunil Toke senior police inspector Neeta PhadkeClip of controversiesThe audio clip in question is a 1408minute recording of the conversation between Phadke and Sunil Toke Sources said that the senior PI had spoken to Toke from another police officers phone and allegedly posed as a junior officer of the cyber police In the conversation Phadke alleged that an inspector at the cyber police station had received consecutive postings at the same police station for over five years despite the rule allowing a maximum of three years in one postShe claimed that the particular cop addressed her and another lady cop as haramkhorAnother allegation levelled was in relation to a Nigerian job racket case from last year In the case the cyber cops had arrested a Nigerian couple living a lavish life by fraudulently obtaining money in a job scam Sources said that a police team had raided the couples home in Pune and recovered valuables worth R20 lakh But on paper the police only showed recovery of items worth R2 lakh Expensive watches cars and other valuables were never listedWhile mentioning the misconduct Phadke said that the defence lawyer for the case had then decided to inform the court about the alleged corruption but the police somehow managed to prevent him from doing so She alleged that another officer from the police station assistant inspector Prakash Warke had then informed the then DCP Cyber Sachin Patil about thisPatil had issued a memo to a subinspector PSI who was part of the raiding party But the officer went on sick leave and resumed service only after the DCP transferred him to another posting Phadke claims that the inspector at the police station had supported this PSICommissioner PadsalgikarCP orders inquiryPhadke is no stranger to controversy A few months ago the senior cop was shunted out from the cyber police station after the then DCP Cyber Akhilesh Kumar had sent a default report on her to Joint CP Crime over two to three allegations One of these involved spilling the name of a witness in an online sex racket where thousands were duped into getting gigolo and male escort jobs for a small membership feePhadke who was then sent to the local arms division ndash considered a side posting ndash was recently transferred to the Byculla traffic police training centre She is currently on sick leaveAfter the audio clip reached CP Padsalgikar he shared it with Joint CP Crime Sanjay Saxena and asked him to look into the matterOnce senior officers ascertained that the voice in the clip was that of Phadke Assistant CP Amita Bhosale of Matunga division was given the task of conducting a preliminary inquiry into the matterThe police are inquiring the intention behind the clips leak and whether there is any truth to the allegations madeCrime branch officials said that the officers against whom Phadke has levelled allegations have not been involved in controversies in the pastHowever ACP Bhosale has recorded statements of all the junior officers named in the conversation She also recorded statements of the advocate whom as Phadke claimed was to file an affidavit in the court against one cyber police PSI who allegedly pocketed over R10 lakh during the Pune raidSenior police officers are awaiting the inquiry report from ACP Bhosale before deciding on the future course of actionWhen contacted ACP Bhosale did not comment on the matter and said she was not authorised to speak on the matter Joint CP Crime Saxena also did not respond to middays queries Phadke refused to comment on the matter and said that she is disturbed and facing health problemsHead constable Toke said that he was not called for an inquiry yet If called I will share all the details of the recording he said