1 week Ago
MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Wednesday stayed an order of the state human rights commission directing Mumbai top cop Vivek Phansalkar and a DCP to pay Rs 10 lakh to a jeweller who had accused four policemen of extorting him. In December last year, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission passed the order directing Phansalkar and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone 1, Pravin Mundhe, to pay compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the jeweller, Nishant Jain. The jeweller had alleged that he was extorted by four policemen from the Azad Maidan police station.
Phansalkar and Mundhe subsequently moved HC against the order. A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale stayed the order and a subsequent letter dated December 18, 2024, issued by the MSHRC secretary to the state asking for compliance, until the next hearing. Jain, who owns Gurjar Jewellers at Bora Bazar in South Mumbai, alleged that on March 1, 2024, sub-inspector Kajal Pansare and cops Sudarshan Puri, Shrikrishna Jaibhai and Rajesh Palkar of the Azad Maidan police station threatened to implicate him in a false case of buying stolen jewellery and demanded Rs 50,000.
He claimed he was released after paying Rs 25,000 in cash. He sent complaints to Phansalkar, DCP Mundhe, and the MSHRC, which later directed the registration of an FIR and awarded compensation. A fact-finding inquiry by the police said there was no case of extortion but seemed like one of illegal gratification.
Phansalkar and Mundhe in the petition said the commission passed its order without giving them a hearing and said the complaint filed by Jain did not disclose any human rights violation. It added that the commission had erred in passing the order and failed to apply its mind to the facts of the case which did not point to any violation of rights relating to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the complainant. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays .
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