Nagpur: In a curious incident, Constable Amit Zilpe, who was posted as a night guard at a High Court judge’s bungalow in Civil Lines, engaged in misconduct by taking the judge’s official vehicle, an Innova, for a joyride without permission. The incident occurred on April 5.
The judge and his family were not present at the bungalow at the time. Zilpe, seizing the opportunity, collected the vehicle keys from the guard room and drove the Innova to Futala Lake. Unfortunately, while joyriding, he collided with an electric pole, causing damage to the left side doors of the vehicle. After the accident, Zilpe abandoned the damaged Innova at the judge’s bungalow without informing anyone.
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04 April 2025
The incident came to light on April 6, when a staff member at the bungalow noticed the damage to the vehicle and alerted the driver, who subsequently informed the protocol department. Zilpe admitted his wrongdoing, and an offense was registered against him for the unauthorized use of the vehicle and the resulting damage.
Subsequent investigations, aided by CCTV footage, revealed Constable Zilpe’s role in the collision. The damaged car was then sent for repairs. The repair cost was Rs 2.28 lakh. Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar, in a decisive action against constable Amit Zilpe, dismissed him from services for his impulsive behaviour on Monday.
Amit Zilpe joined the police department in 2016. He had a previous suspension in 2019 for being absent from duty during the Lok Sabha elections. Moreover, an officer had recently submitted a default report against Zilpe for being absent from duty for over 90 days. It was shortly after this report was filed that Zilpe caused the accident with the judge’s vehicle.
Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, upon being informed of the incident, took immediate and strict action. The following actions were taken as a result: Booked: Amit Zilpe was booked for the unauthorized use of the judge’s vehicle and causing damage to government property. After a thorough investigation, Commissioner Kumar decided to dismiss Zilpe from his service due to his misconduct and dereliction of duty.
Commissioner Kumar initiated proceedings to recover Rs 2.75 lakh from Zilpe to compensate for the damage caused to the judge’s vehicle. The amount will be deducted from Zilpe’s service benefits.
Commissioner Kumar emphasized that the city police maintain a policy of “zero tolerance” towards indiscipline and dereliction of duty. The dismissal of Constable Amit Zilpe serves as a strong message to uphold discipline within the police force and to prevent any similar incidents in the future.
The incident involving Constable Amit Zilpe’s joyride in a judge’s official vehicle and subsequent damage caused to the vehicle highlights the need for strict disciplinary measures within the police force. The dismissal of Zilpe, along with the initiation of recovery proceedings for the damages, demonstrates the commitment of Commissioner Amitesh Kumar to maintain discipline and integrity within the department.
