Pune: Four Cops Fined For Allegedly Extorting 28 Tola Gold From Karnataka Jeweller; Questions Mount Over Police Integrity
Pune: Four Cops Fined For Allegedly Extorting 28 Tola Gold From Karnataka Jeweller; Questions Mount Over Police Integrity
Pune – In a troubling incident, four Wanawadi police personnel traveled to Karnataka and allegedly extorted 28 tola (280 grams) of gold from a jeweller by falsely claiming he had purchased stolen jewellery. No formal records were maintained about the action, raising serious doubts about its legitimacy. After jeweller Kapil Mafatlal Jain from Ballari filed a complaint, a departmental inquiry was launched.
The accused personnel – Police Havaldar Mahesh Vitthal Gadhve, Havaldar Sarfaraz Nurkhan Deshmukh, Constable Sandeep Ananda Salve, and Constable Somnath Popat Kamble – were each fined ₹5,000 by DCP Zone 5, Dr. Rajkumar Shinde.
According to Jain, the police accused him of buying stolen gold from a criminal linked to the Koyta gang. Though Jain had reportedly paid ₹30,000 for a 10-gram necklace, the officers allegedly pressured him to hand over 280 grams of gold.
Jain later filed a complaint with the Pune Police via Speed Post after confirming with local authorities in Karnataka that there was no official case against him. The internal inquiry revealed a lack of proper procedure, and a “show cause” notice was issued to the officers. While the fine was labeled as “minor” and lenient, it has sparked public debate over whether suspension or criminal charges should have followed.
Disciplinary action had been taken against those four and further investigation could be launched. Meanwhile, citizens are questioning why no case has been filed against Jain if his complaint was baseless and why mere fines were imposed if the officers were indeed guilty of misconduct.
Public opinion has leaned toward calling for stricter action, including suspension, if the officers used their authority to extort a legitimate businessman.
