In a shocking breach of duty, three police officers from the Nashik Police Headquarters have been dismissed for partying with two murder accused while they were supposed to be transporting them to jail. The accused were not only taken in a private car but were also treated to a meal at a roadside restaurant, with the police officers footing the bill.
Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik issued the dismissal orders on Monday (May 19) for Havildar Padmasingh Raul, Anmaldar Vicky Ravindra Chavan, and Deepak Ravindra Jathar for gross misconduct that has brought disrepute to the police department.
The incident took place on Saturday (May 17), when five police officers – Raul, Chavan, Jathar, and two others, Nikam and Nidhute – were assigned to escort two murder accused to the Nashik Road Court. The accused, Sonu alias Prafulla Patil and Kundan Arvind Ghare, are involved in serious murder cases registered in 2021 and 2024.
However, Raul allegedly told Nikam and Nidhute not to report for duty. The remaining three officers transported the accused in a private car (MH15 EW 1990), violating protocol. After the court proceedings, instead of taking the accused back to Central Jail directly, they stopped at a restaurant. There, the officers dined with the accused and paid for their meals, openly flouting rules and abusing their authority.
The Crime Branch caught wind of the incident and conducted an internal investigation. Based on the findings, all three officers were found guilty of colluding with criminals and misusing their powers. In his order, Commissioner Karnik stated that their actions have seriously damaged the public image of the police and therefore, strict action was necessary.
The incident has raised serious questions about police accountability and security lapses while handling high-risk criminals.