Top cop's links with power broker under scrutiny

The Anti Corruption Bureau of Maharashtra Police is investigating a senior police officer's links with an alleged power broker arrested by the bureau's sleuths in a surprise raid on December 8.

Govind Chandak was arrested from a guest house in upscale Peddar Road in south Mumbai. At the time of the arrest, Director General of State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation Rahul Gopal was with him in the guest house.

While the ACB team seized Rs 100,000 from Chandak's room, an equal amount was recovered from DGP Gopal's official car parked outside.

The ACB believes Chandak used his links with top bureaucrats and politicians to help businessmen gets things done at the highest level. Chandak has been remanded to police custody till December 14.

Director General, Anti Corruption Bureau, P S Pasricha told rediff.com: "During investigations if we found something against him [DGP Gopal], we will continue our investigations in that direction."

ACB sources said the bureau was keeping a watch on Chandak's movements for some time and his telephonic conversations with different people were tapped.

The breakthrough came when they recorded a call between Chandak and somebody from the Director General of Housing's office on December 8.

In that conversation, Chandak told the other person: "Aap ki ek chaki padi hai, aa kar le jao (Your Rs 100,000 is ready, please collect it)." The other person replied, "I will come at 9 am to collect that money on my way to office."

Undercover sleuths of the ACB kept a watch on Chandak and saw Gopal arrive to meet him. Soon after, they raided Chandak's room and later also searched Gopal's car.

Sources said Gopal has maintained that Chandak is an astrologer he has known for some years now. He has also said that Chandak often loaned him money and that the Rs 100,000 found in his car was borrowed from Chandak.

When asked what action could be initiated against Gopal if he was found guilty, Pasricha said, "It will depend on the circumstances in which he was found with Chandak, the source of money seized from his car, why he had taken that money... all these things will be investigated. After investigations we will decide if we need to question Rahul Gopal."