Dy SP, PI face trouble over graft allegations

The Vigilance Department has initiated preliminary inquiry into a businessman’s complaint of harassment, bribe and allegedly lying to the court. 

T Raghavendra Swamy, who runs a flett of 35-odd trucks for transporting sponge iron besides other goods in the state, has accused them of illegally detaining one of his vehicles and demanding ‘hafta’ to stop harassment. 

It all began on March 13, 2015 when his truck - plying from Hospet city (north Karnataka) via Karwar was intercepted by Curchorem Traffic Police Inspector  Colaco near Cuncolim industrial estate. “He (Colaco) seized the invoice of the goods without checking the driver’s license or vehicle documents. We went to the police station where he told us “mahine ka hafta nahi aya,” Swamy told Herald. 

This, the complainant said was despite his vehicle having all the permits to carry out the trade. On failing to heed to the demand, Swamy alleged that Colaco – working at the behest of the then acting Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Mhapne – forwarded the invoice to the assistant director of transport (ADT), Quepem mentioning the truck was overloaded. “Invoice was just a way to stop the transport of the goods, and forwarding it to ADT was to harass us,” he said. 

Swamy then approached Mhapne praying for intervention but in vain. Interestingly, on April 4, it was Mhapne who intercepted another truck belonging to Swamy at Curchorem. The truck was plying from Hospet to Cuncolim via Mollem and this time, the officer confiscated the driving license and the truck papers besides invoice of the goods. 

“The papers were once again forwarded to ADT Quepem and I was summoned where I gave my statement,” Swamy recollected arguing his trucks were “illegally attached” by the traffic police. 

The complainant then moved the local judicial magistrate to release the truck, where Colaco stated his team ‘didn’t seize the vehicle.’ “My truck is lying with the police. It was illegally detained but when Colaco kept no records, the court wouldn’t know?” he commented.   

The harassment did not end here. Two days later, Swamy’s yet another truck was intercepted which was following the same route. “Colaco asked my driver to come to the police station and took him in the police jeep. All documents were checked and found correct, but my driver was kept waiting at the PS for two hours,” he added. 

While this harassment continued, a police team was deployed around his trucks to stop it from plying anywhere. Days later, Swamy, already on the target list of the two officers, was informed that his truck was once again stopped at Margao and fined Rs 200 for traffic violation. Minutes later, when the truck moved towards Ponda, the businessman mentioned the same traffic police team intercepted it near Ponda-Dhavali although it did not fall in its jurisdiction. 

“My driver was asked to go to Margao police station. When I reached the spot and questioned them, the personnel said it was DySP’s order,” he said adding, his vehicles would be stopped on silly reasons that it is parked in no parking zone, driver didn’t wear uniform, it did not have first aid kit and so forth. 

Swamy, who claims to have video-recorded the entire episode had written to the chief secretary seeking relief, which was forwarded to Chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar who has now directed inquiry to ascertain the allegations. Swamy claims his vehicle has national permit to travel anywhere in the country and has been operating within the legal standards. 

The Vigilance Department has initiated an inquiry with senior officers, who refuse to come on record considering the sensitivity of the case/ It said the PI has been summoned with all the documentary evidence.