By Savikalpa Thapa
Pune Police Sub-inspector on probation has been suspended for alleged bribery from restaurants to let them sell Hookahs illegally. PSI Vishal Pawar was caught informing the restaurant owner selling Hookah illegally about the upcoming raid through chats. Later calls between them were revealed.
Amitesh Kumar, Pune Police commissioner received information about the illegal activities happening in the jurisdiction of Viman Nagar, Kondhwa, Koregaon Park, Wanawadi, Lashkar and Kale Padal police stations and on 12th of december, sent a message about the illegal hookah joints in the Whatsapp group with senior officers of Zone V. Pawar forwarded the message to the owner of Vegeta- Fine Dine and Lounge, Rahul Surekha Jainsinghal alerting him to stop serving Hookah. However, the Wanwadi senior police officers reached the restaurant while the Hookahs and other materials were being hidden.
After the senior officers caught Rahul Surekha red handed, his phone was seized. Upon going through the phone to get information about other Hookah Joints, PSI Pawar’s forwarded message was caught and their exchanged call records were revealed.
In Rahul Surekha’s statement, he revealed that a payment of Rs 20,000 was done every month to PSI Pawar to keep his Hookah service ongoing.
Manoj Patil, the top cop passed the suspension order and stated that PSI Pawar is suspended for his serious and indecent act under Bombay Police Rules,1956. He also referred to Pawar as a stain on Maharashtra Police Department’s reputation.
Amitesh Kumar, Pune Police Commissioner said that the Pune Police does not tolerate illegal activities in the city and that he has asked the Police Officers to cease the operations of illegal activities including gambling parlors, prostitution rackets and hookah joints. He asked the Police Officers to maintain transparency while working and to follow the rules, failing that would lead to transfer to a side branch.
“If criminals are challenging the police, it’s a failure of the police station’s in-charge,” he added.