Nagpur: In a swift action to uphold police accountability, Commissioner of Police Dr. Ravinder Singhal suspended two constables from the Sitabuldi Police Station following allegations of assault and extortion. The accused constables, Pravin Wakode and Samadhan Kamble, reportedly demanded ₹5 lakh from a restaurant owner during a New Year’s Eve incident at Farzi Café, West High Court Road.
The controversy began at a party hosted by Yash Dubey, owner of Farzi Café. An altercation involving another restaurant owner, Cyrus Cheng, and a woman escalated into an assault complaint. Initially, Lady PSI Kavita Jagtap was assigned to investigate. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when constable Wakode allegedly stole the case diary and took over the case without authorization.
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Wednesday01 Jan. 2025
On January 1, Wakode and Kamble reportedly detained Cheng at the police station, subjected him to physical assault, and demanded ₹5 lakh to drop the charges. The unauthorized seizure of the case diary led to chaos, and a duplicate diary was allegedly fabricated to cover up their actions.
The misconduct came to light when Cheng alerted senior officials. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rahul Madne promptly ordered the Sitabuldi ACP to probe the incident. The enquiry corroborated the allegations against the constables. This resulted in their immediate suspension, with further charges of extortion and theft under consideration.
Sources claim that the two constables were intoxicated while on duty and behaved like “hardened criminals.” The scandal has rattled the police department, raising concerns over systemic issues like extortion and corruption. Allegations of favouritism have also emerged, with claims that a senior officer tried to shield the accused.
DCP Madne assured that accountability would be enforced and the investigation expanded to examine the role of other officers in the incident. Senior officials are monitoring the case closely, and further action is expected.
The Farzi Café incident has highlighted the urgent need for reforms within the force, particularly in addressing corruption and ensuring the integrity of investigations.
