Mumbai, January 03: Five Mumbai Police personnel, including an ACP and a DCP, were suspended on Sunday for allegedly attending a Christmas eve party thrown by a mafia don.
Mumbai Police Commissioner D Sivanandan had on Saturday recommended the five policemen’s suspension and Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil cleared the suspension this morning after holding talks with Chief Minister Ashok Chavan.
The development came after television channels aired footage of the party showing the policemen partying with the don.
Acting quickly after scenes of the policemen dancing with the don shamed the force, a police enquiry recommended suspension of Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishwas Salve and four others.
They include Assistant Commissioner of Police Prakash Wani, Senior Inspector RS Khakale, Crime Branch Inspector Praful Phadke and Crime Branch Assistant Sub-Inspector T Salunkhe.
All of them attended the party hosted by DK Rao, an alleged henchman of underworld don Chhota Rajan.
The party took place in a private club in Chembur, a northeast Mumbai suburb where the policemen were seen eating, drinking and dancing with men from the underworld.
The party was ostensibly to celebrate the acquittal of Rao from 31 serious criminal cases.
“Police have gathered sufficient evidence to recommend suspension of these policemen,” a Crime Branch officer had said yesterday on condition of anonymity.
-Agencies