Mumbai crime: Constables booked in missing seized items case

The two accused cops were in charge of keeping the seized items safe. Representation pic

Two constables have been booked by the Bhandup police after cops found out that seized cash and valuables worth Rs 5.31 lakh went missing from their custody.

The two constables - Bharat Suryavanshi and Nirmala Lohare - were posted at Bhandup police station between 2012 and 2019 and were in charge of keeping the seized valuables safe and producing them before the court as needed. Lohare was in charge of this job in 2012 and after she was transferred to the Local Arms division, Suryavanshi took over, said an officer from Bhandup police station.

The incident came to light in 2019 after Suryavanshi got transferred to the Crime Branch and the new constable, Sangeeta Wagh, found Rs 3,21,587 cash and 96.35 grams of gold valued at Rs 2,10,200 missing while verifying the seized items. Following this, an inquiry was set up which found that Lohare and Suryavanshi were in charge earlier. Further, a case was registered against the duo under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, the officer added.

"No one has been arrested so far. During the course of the inquiry, we had called both of them and recorded their statements. They claim they don't know when the valuables went missing. We are trying to ascertain whether the valuables were stolen by them or someone else, but as it was their responsibility to keep the items safe, we have booked them," said another police officer, adding that a departmental enquiry shall be set up against the two accused cops.

Rs 5.31 lakh
Amount worth of cash and valuables missing