Will you charge Maharashtra IPS officer in extortion case? Court pulls up cops

The Bombay High Court on Friday pulled up the Maharashtra Police, asking it to state what material it had against IPS officer Saurabh Tripathi and if it was planning to file a chargesheet against him.
A bench of Justices AS Gadkari and Neela Gokhale was hearing a petition filed by Tripathi seeking the cancellation of the FIR registered against him and others by some angadias (individuals who are involved in securing transportation of valuable goods).
Advocate Sanjeev Kadam, appearing for Tripathi, submitted that there was no material against the officer. “He is not named in the FIR and he had been granted anticipatory bail. The only indictment against him is that he did not supervise properly,” Kadam said, adding that the chargesheet in the case had not yet been filed.
Tripathi and his brother-in-law, Ashutosh Mishra, a sales tax assistant commissioner, have been accused of being involved in an extortion case. Both had approached the High Court, seeking the cancellation of the FIR filed against them. The bench said it would hear both the pleas of Mishra and Tripathi on October 4.
Based on a complaint by Bhuleshwar Angadia Association, the Mumbai Police registered a case against police inspectors Om Wangate, Nitin Kadam and assistant inspector Samadhan Jamdade at LT Marg police station on February 18, 2022.
It was alleged that some policemen from LT Marg police station started confining angadias in the police station and forcibly took away some cash from their bags. The angadias met Tripathi, who was then posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone Two.
The angadias complained to Tripathi about the conduct of his police officers but it is alleged that he didn’t act and instead demanded Rs 10 lakh for the smooth running of their business.
In March 2022, the state government suspended Tripathi. He was found absent from duty without informing the authorities. It also found that he had failed in his duty to ensure that his subordinates did not resort to any corrupt practices and misconduct.
In November 2022, the High Court granted Tripathi protection against arrest. In July 2023, the state government revoked Tripathi’s suspension and reinstated him.
Tripathi is currently posted with the state intelligence department as Superintendent of Police.