Mumbai:
Maharashtra home ministry has cleared suspension of all five cops after they attended a Christmas party hosted by underworld don Chota Rajan's aide Paulson Joseph in Mumbai.
The decision to suspend the policemen came after a meeting between Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil and chief minister Ashok Chavan in Mumbai on Sunday.
Earlier, Mumbai Police had recommended the suspension of five of its policemen in the case.
The senior most among the five is Deputy Commissioner of Police V N Salve, in-charge of intelligence gathering and providing security to VIPs.
Reacting to his suspension Salve told NDTV: "I did not attend the party hosted by Chota Rajan aide. I have never met them and don't have anything to do with this. When the inquiry is on, I will put forth my argument. I was invited for a children's show. I went to the Chembur Gymkhana around 7.30 pm, was there for 15 minutes. I did not attend the party."
(Suspended top cop denies attending don's party)This is the first time ever that an IPS officer has been suspended for his links to the underworld.
The other senior officer is Assistant Commissioner of Police Prakash Vani, responsible for the Crime Branch's operations in Mumbai's Eastern suburbs.
The Mumbai Police has been investigating the case since December 27. The action against the policemen follows a video circulated after the party, shot by a police informer. Though the video does not clearly show the officers, it has now been established that they did attend the party.
In his report, the Commissioner of Police has stated that there is enough evidence - including testimonies of others who attended the party and photographs that show the officers interacting with gang members.
ACP Vani told NDTV that: "The clip circulated in the media is an attempt to frame me. I did not meet D K Rao or any other members of the Chota Rajan gang. I am not seen in the video. I attended a party at the Chembur Gymkhana as a member, with my family. I will answer my superiors, not the media."
All five policemen will be suspended till the enquiry against them is completed. If found guilty, they will be removed from service - a dishonourable exit for anyone in khaki, and a mark of shame for the Mumbai Police.