In yet another twist in the Malad road rage incident, the duty officer who handled the case, an assistan police inspector, was sus pended on Saturday for “le thargic approach“ shown in registering an FIR, said po lice sources. They further said that it was the police who delayed filing of an FIR and not the victim as was report ed earlier.Cops at the police station allegedly informed the victim, Irwin Cardozo (29), who was punched and sustained deep gashes on his face, neck and head with a paper-cutter on the night of July 14, tha they were “short-staffed as several of their personne had gone to raid two bars“ The FIR was registered the next evening, by which time the accused went into hiding.
Sources said Mumbai po lice commissioner Rakesh Maria has asked Malad police to prepare a detailed repor on the case and that it should reach his table by Monday Maria told TOI: “Such an ap proach in a criminal offence is unacceptable and intolera ble. It is a serious offence and the cops should have immedi ately arrested the accused in stead of waiting for the victim to lodge an FIR. A complaint has to be regis tered immediately in such a serious criminal offence rather than delaying it. Ac tion has been initiated in the case.“ TOI has also learn that some cops allegedly checked with Cardozo when he was in hospital whether he wanted to “settle“ the case.The victim, though, remained firm in his decision to file a complaint.
The FIR mentions names of two of the accused, though the victim said there was a third person involved. The third unidentified person es caped after the incident.
Cops did not arrest the two accused--Mihika Wadhone and her friend Siddharth Yadav, both aged 21-when they were taken to Malad police station. At that hour, cops just noted down their addresses, instead of making them undergo medical tests. Cardozo had alleged that they seemed to be drunk.
Besides, the cops reportedly asked the victim whether he wanted “strong sections against the accused or a case of drunk driving“.
TOI made several attempts to contact the victim and his family on Saturday , but there was no response.
Vikram Deshmane, deputy commissioner of police (Zone XI), reportedly personally visited the victim at his Malad residence on Saturday and took notes on the assault.Deshmane assured the victim's family that Indian Penal Code Section 307 (attempt to murder) will be added in the FIR along with the other charges applied under Section 326 (causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 504 (intentional insult) and 34 (common intention).
The assault occurred on the main road near Orlem Church, 15 minutes after the victim left a fitness centre in Malad (West). Cardozo called his friends and family who in turn called the police.
Sources said the cops also told the victim where the accused were likely to have fled and that they would be caught easily . It is 96 hours since the assurance and the accused--none of whom have a criminal background --are still at large, said a friend of the victim.
Deshmane said he has initiated an inquiry to find the reason for the delay in filing an FIR and why the accused were let off.
“The case is being probed on a priority basis and the team has been formed to track down the accused. They will be nabbed soon. Such an incident should not have taken place. Proper action will be taken and the accused will be punished. We have recorded statements of the victim and his friends who caught the accused,“ he said.
“The cops sent summons to Wadhone to be present on July 15 but she along with Yadav went into hiding,“ said a source close to the victim's family .
Irwin and his family did not delay filing of the complaint, said his friends and relatives. “A cop came to the hospital to take the victim's signature on the FIR where he once again checked whether he was interested in settling the matter. But the victim asked the cops to file it,“ said sources close to the victim's family .
The DCP refused to comment on the settlement allegation and said a probe and inquiry are on.
TIMES VIEW:
Cops have not covered themselves in glory in this case. The most glaring indicator of their inefficiency is the fact the two accused have been at large 96 hours after the crime. It appears it is the same problem--the eagerness to broker deals rather than go for the accused--that is at play again.
