Mumbai Police to file reply on Monday in Rajan's wife's plea

Mumbai, Feb 26 (UNI) The Mumbai Police will tomorrow file their reply to a petition by Sujata Nikhalje, wife of underworld don Chhota Rajan, booked under MCOCA, seeking direction to award compensation and action against police officers who had allegedly violated the Supreme Court guidelines at the time of her arrest.

The matter, which was earlier listed for hearing on February 23 before a division bench comprising Justices B H Marlapalle and Roshan Dalvi, could not reach for hearing and therefore, will come up on February 27.

Advocate Satish Maneshinde, arguing on behalf of Sujata, had told the court that the petitioner is a businesswoman. Though she is the wife of Rajendra Nikhalje who is allegedly involved in criminal activities and wanted by the Mumbai Police, Sujata has been living seperately from him for the last 15 years and has nothing to do, whatsoever, with her husband's alleged illegal activities, he contended.

The court was also told that on December 14 last year, Sujata had been summoned by the Crime Branch officials to record her statement, but was arrested on the same day under the stringent Maharashtra Criminal Organised Criminal Activities Act, without the grounds of her arrest being revealed to her.

Adv Menshinde contested that while arresting the petitioner, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vinayak Kadam and Senior Police Inspector Nagesh Lohar of Unit 4, Crime Branch CID, had violated the apex court's guidelines by not revealing the grounds of arrest.

The petitioner also told the court that in this regard, a complaint was made before the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission on December 16 last year and a three-member committee was set up to inquire into the allegation made by her.

The Committee had upheld that there was gross violation of the guidelines of the Supreme Court by ACP Kadam and Senior PI Lohar.

It directed Police Commissioner A N Roy to initiate a departmental inquiry against the erring police officers but no action was taken till date.

The petitioner also prayed to the court that the investigating officers be directed not to be involved, directly or indirectly, in the investigation in the present case, and the respondent be also directed to pay exemplary damages by way of compensation for gross violation of human rights.

UNI XR SSS SY BS1134