Angadia extortion case: DCP Saurabh Tripathi moves Mumbai court for pre-arrest bail

Mumbai: Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Saurabh Tripathi accused in angadia extortion case has moved to the Sessions court seeking anticipatory bail, the court has kept the matter for hearing on March 23.

The Mumbai crime branch's crime intelligence unit (CIU) investigating the case recently named Tripathi as a wanted accused in the case citing fresh revelations.

Since the case was registered on February 18, Tripathi has remained absent. He was also transferred from DCP zone to the post of DCP operations however he is yet to take charge.

Last year in December, the angadia association approached then Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale alleging Tripathi, then DCP zone 2 demanded ₹10 lakh monthly to "allow" them to run their business. Nagrale then appointed additional commissioner Dilip Sawant of South region to probe the allegations.

On Sawant's complaint an offence of extortion was registered at L T Marg police station which led to arrest of three officers from the police station, they are inspector Om Wangate, API Nitin Kadam and PSI samadhan Jamdade. DCP was made an accused later following investigation, said police.

The Mumbai police have also sent a letter to the state home department for DCPs suspension following the extortion case against him and a depertment inquiry as an administrative action.

In their allegation, the angadia association also claimed that the arrested officers detained few angadias on multiple occasions in the month of December and allegedly extorted over ₹18-20 lakh from them by threatening to book them or tip the Income Tax department about their illegal activities.

Tripathi, a 2010 batch IPS officer is also an MBBS and MD (dermatology) having studied at BYL Nair hospital in Mumbai. In the city he has previously served as DCP zone 4, DCP in Traffic police, DCP SB (1), he was also SP of Ahmednagar.