33-year-old sub-inspector found at friend’s home in Rahuri after 2-day disappearance amid claims of workplace harassment

Mumbai: The sub-inspector, who went missing on Saturday after an altercation with a senior officer at Santacruz police station, was found at his friend’s house in Rahuri on Monday.

About the incident

Rahul Kokate, 33, was allegedly humiliated by senior inspector Rajendra Kane in front of his colleagues. Sources claimed that Kane targeted junior officers who gave statements against him during a departmental inquiry. The inquiry was initiated after a junior officer complained to the deputy commissioner of police (Zone-9), accusing Kane of obstructing the filing of an FIR in an extortion case.

According to sources, Kokate had an altercation with Kane, after which he disappeared and switched off his mobile phone. His wife, daughter (who is in Solapur) and mother (in Ahmednagar) tried to contact him, but his phone remained switched off. Before leaving Mumbai, Kokate reportedly submitted his resignation to a senior officer, citing mental harassment.

Statement from a police officer

A police officer said, “Senior Inspector Kane forces us to do illegal activities and when we refuse, he intimidates junior officers. He has specifically targeted five or six officers who testified against him. He uses abusive language and deliberately finds fault to issue show-cause notices to them. Other officers do not face such intimidation. Both Kane and Inspector Amar Patil have behaved in the same manner.”

Recently, a junior officer, Sharad Landge, complained about Kane to the DCP. Although a departmental inquiry was launched, sources within the police feel that the punishment given to Kane was lenient considering the allegations. A source also revealed that Kane is close to an MLA, which could explain the lack of strict action.

About a case

In March, Mahesh Gami, a textile trader from Gujarat who had been living in Santacruz for the past two years, filed an extortion case against four persons, two of whom had helped him remove a liquor shop from his farmhouse in Gujarat. The accused, who were allegedly involved in the sand mafia and had links with a political party, had already received Rs 3 lakh and were demanding another Rs 5-6 lakh. They allegedly came to Mumbai, stayed at the hotel of a BJP politician in MIDC and threatened Gami.

When Gami filed his complaint, Landge conducted the investigation and sent notices to the accused. However, Kane refused to clear the FIR. Gami then approached DCP Raj Tilak Roushan, who ordered that the FIR be filed. Despite this, Kane filed only a non-cognizable offence. After another meeting between Gami and the DCP, the FIR was finally registered on 18 April.

In this case, Landge filed a complaint against Kane with the DCP and a departmental investigation was launched. When the FPJ contacted Kane and other high-ranking officers, they remained unanswered.