Scandal in Unauthorized Police Chowky Construction in Kanjur Marg; Senior Inspector May Abscond with Misappropriated Funds

Krishna Pujari

IN a situation that has sparked widespread controversy and concern, the construction of an unauthorized police chowky in Kanjur Marg, Mumbai, has exposed alarming accusations of corruption within the Mumbai Police. The chowky, located near Adarsh Vidyalaya, Dattar Colony, Kanjur Marg East, was built without the required approvals from the BMC’s Building Proposal Department, raising serious questions about the integrity and compliance of law enforcement officials with legal norms.

The issue was brought to public attention through the efforts of Manish Kotian, a vigilant citizen who filed an RTI inquiry seeking clarity on the contractor and financiers behind this illegal structure. Despite the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) for Bhandup Jitendra Agarkar and the Senior Inspector of Kanjur Marg Uttam Pachpute being approached for details, their refusal to disclose information has only deepened suspicions of wrongdoing.

According to Kotian’s findings, the response to his RTI inquiry was disturbingly vague, with the ACP claiming that the construction was funded by “public cooperation” but refused to provide further specifics. This lack of transparency has led to allegations against Senior Inspector Uttam Pachpute and the ACP, suggesting that they may have solicited funds under the guise of public support, misappropriated these funds into private accounts, and withheld crucial information to cover up their actions. It’s alleged that the Senior Inspector and ACP collected money to construct the unauthorized beat chowky from the general public, gobbled up most of that money, and are now not providing the detailed accounts of the money collected and spent.

The controversy is further complicated by the impending retirement of Senior Inspector Uttam Pachpute, raising fears that he may abscond with a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds. In response to these troubling developments, Kotian is considering legal action, aiming to halt Pachpute’s retirement benefits until a thorough investigation is conducted and the misused funds are returned.

This case not only casts a shadow over the Mumbai Police’s commitment to transparency and legality but also undermines public trust in law enforcement. The construction of the unauthorized police chowky, especially when juxtaposed with the silence and apparent complicity of police officials, signals a distressing disregard for the rule of law.