ABA hearing of Bapat adjourned to April 17

Mumbai, Apr 12 (UNI) Special anti-corruption bureau judge P N Deshmukh today adjourned the anticipatory bail plea of former Mumbai Police Commissioner Shrikant Bapat to April 17.

Public Prosecutor S S Kharmale who had been assigned to appear for the ACB today in the absence of regular public prosecutor sought time to study the case matter to file his reply in this matter.

Mr Bapat had filed an anticipatory bail application (ABA) apprehending arrest in the multi-crore Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) examination scam before ACB court on March 27.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Sudhakar Poojari, the investigating officer in the MPSC scam case had called Mr Bapat for questioning at the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) office.

However, Mr Bapat, instead of visiting the ACB office, filed his anticipatory bail application.

Mr Bapat, who was a member of Commission between 1994 and 1999, is alleged to have played a role in the recruitment of the three Lohar brothers as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs).

The MPSC scam came to light in 2001 when it was found that in 1998-99, a racket was operating within Commission favouring the selection of candidates in MPSC examinations.

The three Lohar brothers, Nitin, Manoj and Sunil, all Deputy Superintendents of police selected throuth MPSC, are accused of clearing the MPSC examination by manipulating the results in 1997.

They were dismissed this year after MPSC secretary lodged a supplementary complaint, making them accused in MPSC scam.

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