MUMBAI, July 25; Vasant Agavane is a senior police inspector who has had the honour of leading the elite Special Operation Squad (SOS) of the crime branch. Ishaq Baagwan, police inspector (public relations) has won two President's Gallantry Award medals. And, Yashwant Puntambekar, police inspector (crime), has had a blemishless run of successes at the Narcotics Cell. He was due for promotion as senior inspector.

Yet, three of Mumbai Police's most efficient middle-rung officers are cooling their heels at home after they were suspended in the wake of the attack on Chhagan Bhujbal's official residence on July 13. Their suspension is being viewed by many in the police force as an attempt to shield senior officers who reached at the spot long after the rampaging Sainiks had gone home.

Inspector Baagwan who was one of the first officer to reach Bhujbal's house had shot dead desperado, Manya Surve in the first ever police encounter in Mumbai in 1982 and injured gangster David Pardesi in the sessions court in 1983 when he was fleeing after gunning down Amirzada, a member of Pathan mafia and a rival of Dawood Ibrahim.

But these past laurels were of little help on July 13. According to eyewitnesses Baagwan with two sub-inspectors, 20 constables and eight policewomen reached the spot on time but there was no trace of his seniors.

Later they were joined by the senior police inspector of the Cuffe Parade police station, Vasant Agavane, 50 policemen, more platoons of the State Reserve Police (SRP) and the additional commissioner of police, south region, K Subramaniam. Subramaniam reached the spot at 10.25 am, while the deputy commissioner of police, zone-I, Ashok Dhameja arrived at 10.45 am. He later said he was busy in a meeting with the chief minister.

Both, Aagavane and Baagwan were suspended the next day. And after a furore was raised in the assembly over the suspension of a Dalit and Muslim, a couple of days later Puntambekar too was suspended. All the three police officers had an unblemished record. In fact, the middle order of the police force are seething with discontent at the way these police officers were suspended.

Interestingly, DCP Ashok Dhameja had opposed the suspension of the officers. ``Although the police commissioner did not want to suspend us, it was Munde who arbitrarily took action because the Opposition had raised a stink and the union home minister, Indrajit Gupta, who was about to visit the city, would have questioned him,'' said one of the suspended officers.

However, the Mumbai police commissioner, Subhash Malhotra said, ``They were suspended for inaction.'' The moot question remains: why were the senior officers spared.

``When I reached there, everything was over. These officers were expected to rise to the occasion,'' says Subramaniam who confirms that insinuations were made against him as well. ``It was difficult for us to control the mob...half of them were women. Also the mob barged into the house from the rear entrance and through the neighbouring bungalows taking the police by surprise,'' reasons one of suspended officer. However, Subramaniam is not willing to comment on how the mob managed to gain entry into the house. He says he will wait for the findings of departmental inquiry. N J Maneckshaw, ACP, Kalbadevi, is investigating.``The probe is a farce as there is nothing to investigate. All the officers are well-aware of what happened,'' said the beleagured officer.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.