CBI takes over probe of case against Maharashtra cadre IPS officer Bhagyashree Navatake

An FIR against Navatake was registered connected August 27 astatine Bundgarden constabulary presumption based connected a ailment filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingle, pursuing directions from the Maharashtra State Home Department.

Transfer to CBI

On August 30, the Maharashtra authorities recommended transferring the lawsuit to the CBI and issued consent for the same. Subsequently, the Special Crime Unit of the CBI successful New Delhi took implicit the probe connected Wednesday and registered a Regular Case with the CBI successful Delhi.

During her clip with Pune City police, Navatake was progressive successful investigating 3 cases linked to the BHR scam, which were registered successful Pune territory successful November 2020. These cases were filed astatine 3 constabulary stations: Deccan (under Pune City jurisdiction), Alandi (under Pimpri Chinchwad police), and Shikrapur (under Pune Rural Police).

Following complaints by immoderate of the accused successful the BHR scam, the authorities Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was directed to behaviour an enquiry into the registration and consequent probe of these offences. The CID submitted its study to the authorities Director General of Police’s office, and subsequently to the Home Department.

The authorities past ordered an probe into the alleged lapses successful the BHR lawsuit probe by the police. Consequently, an offence was registered against Navatake astatine Bundgarden constabulary station, on with unnamed others.

What the Pune constabulary FIR states

The FIR filed by Pune constabulary against Navatake states: “The 3 offences were registered pursuing inadequate preliminary inquiry. The complainants successful cases astatine Deccan and Alandi constabulary presumption were not contiguous erstwhile the cases were registered. Set procedures were not followed successful the investigation. In the cases registered with Pune Rural and Pimpri Chinchwad police, unnecessary interference and unit was enactment to registry offences. In these cases, prime persons were named arsenic accused, the grade of the probe was shown retired of proportionality and a idiosyncratic with struggle of involvement was appointed arsenic prosecutor.”

The offence was registered nether assorted IPC sections, including 120B (Criminal conspiracy), 167 (Public servant knowingly disobeying the law), 177 (Furnishing mendacious information), 193 (Punishment for mendacious evidence), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence), 203 (Giving mendacious accusation regarding an offence), 466 (Forgery of grounds oregon invaluable security), and 474 (Possession of forged documents), among others.

In 2021 and 2022, Navatake spearheaded a high-profile probe into malpractices successful Maharashtra authorities recruitment exams. This probe resulted successful 5 cases and dozens of arrests, including those of elder authorities officials, a serving IAS officer, middlemen, individuals from backstage entities contracted for recruitment processes, and coaching people owners.

During the aforesaid period, she besides led a year-long, meticulous probe by Pune police’s Cyber Crime Cell, which uncovered a shocking lawsuit of 2 cyber experts, including a erstwhile IPS officer, allegedly siphoning disconnected ample amounts of cryptocurrency from the wallets of accused individuals arrested successful a multimillion-dollar bitcoin Ponzi strategy successful 2018, a lawsuit successful which they had assisted Pune police.