FIR INTENDED TO SUPPRESS GRAFT, SHUKLA TELLS HC

MUMBAI: Senior IPS officer Rashmi Shukla sought to quash the first information report (FIR) registered by the Mumbai Police against her in the illegal phone tapping case and informed the Bombay high court (HC) that the FIR was intended to suppress crime and not to investigate and prosecute offenders who resorted to corrupt practices in postings and transfer of senior police officers.

Saying that there was nothing illegal in phone tapping done after getting requisite sanction from the authority concerned, Shukla’s counsel disclosed excerpts of the report which was based on the surveillance of the phones of some individuals who allegedly used their connections with the then home minister and one “dada” to facilitate transfers in return for money.

The HC adjourned hearing of Shukla’s petition till August 5 after the state assured the court that no coercive steps would be taken against her till August 6.

The division bench of justice SS Shinde and justice NJ Jamadar was informed by senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani that Shukla was being harassed for being honest and exposing the corruption involved in posting and transfer of senior police officers. The petition sought quashing of the FIR or transfer of investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“The interception was for preventing a crime and it was done in an authorised way,” said Jethmalani. He, however, clarified that the political leaders whose names were mentioned in the report were not necessarily involved and the same could be ascertained after investigation.

Meanwhile, CBI informed the HC that the state had refused to hand over the documents pertaining to the FIR filed against former home minister Anil Deshmukh and others on April 21. The HC then directed CBI to file an application for its consideration.