Bombay HC Raps Police For Lackadaisical Probe Into 2021 FIR On Forged Madh Island Maps

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has rapped the Mumbai police for its lackadaisical probe into a 2021 FIR against government officials for allegedly forging maps in Madh Island in Malad (west) to insert illegally built structures, mostly bungalows, in the maps to show them as legal.

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan has asked the additional commissioner police (Addl CP) of Western region to look into the probe and inform steps to be taken by the police to complete the investigation expeditiously. The bench has asked the Addl CP to remain personally present on the court on October 23, considering the “gravity and seriousness” of the case and “conduct of the officers”.

In December 2021, the suburban collector’s office lodged a complaint with the Kherwadi police in Bandra for cheating and forgery against unknown government servants for allegedly forging land maps of Madh Island. Petitioners advocate Abhinandan Vagyani submitted that majority of the maps had been manipulated to get exemption under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and to show the structures were constructed prior to 1964.

The concerned ACP was informed of the alleged illegality, still not action was taken. Even the Goregaon police failed to take action after an FIR was lodged. However, the official from Goregaon police station, who were present in the court informed that they have forwarded the papers to the Controller of Slums (BSD Court), Mumbai, and appropriate action would be taken after receiving the report from the authority.

In a detailed order, the bench noted that from 2021, the police have recorded statements of only 24 witnesses. State’s advocate Kranti Hiwrale told the bench that 64 more people had come forward last month, but statements of none of them have been recorded.

The bench then asked deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of Zone-8 to look into the same, as to why the investigation is pending till date. “In this case, we find that there is lethargy on the part of the officers in taking the investigation in the said complaint to its logical end. If there is delay in investigating the case, the complainant will lose faith in the system, which cannot be permitted,” the bench said.

The bench added: “It is a serious matter and requires to be investigated thoroughly and the Police need to go into the root of the matter. Instead, we find that the police have been lackadaisical and have hardly done any investigation, for the reasons best known to them.”