Kirit Somaiya alleges ‘fake’ FIR in his name at Mumbai top cop’s behest says will meet governor on Apr 27

PTI, Apr 26, 2022, 5:12 PM IST

Mumbai: Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya on Tuesday claimed that a bogus FIR was filed at Bandra police station in his name which he had not even signed at the behest of the Mumbai police commissioner, days after his car was vandalised when he was leaving the Khar police station after meeting the arrested independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana.

He demanded a criminal investigation against Mumbai police commissioner Sanjay Pande and also said that he would meet Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari on Wednesday to inform him about such practices.
On Tuesday, Somaiya lodged a complaint at Khar police station and demanded action against a police officer for filing the bogus FIR in his name. He recorded his statement at Khar police station.

Somaiya reached Khar police station along with his lawyer, a police official said, adding that the bogus FIR probe was handed to Khar police by the Bandra police station since the incident (‘attack’ on Somaiya’s car) had taken place in Khar.

Somaiya told reporters that an FIR should be registered against the concerned police officer on the charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy etc. for lodging a bogus complaint in his (Somaiya’s) name.

The BJP leader hit out at Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey over the issue and claimed that some “goons” had been sent by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to attack him.

“They should face strict action. It will happen for sure,” the BJP leader told reporters outside Khar police station.

“The Mumbai police filed a fake FIR in my name, it is not signed by me. Is Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey unaware of such legality? I came here (Khar police station) to file an actual FIR against the fake FIR filed by the police,” he said.

Somaiya later claimed that Khar police station officials admitted that the bogus FIR was registered at Bandra police station on Monday “on the instructions of Police Commissioner Sanjay Pandey”.

“It was not signed by me, still it was sent to Khar police station and the officials even initiated action based on it. Is Pandey aware of the legal provision that such an unsigned FIR is illegal?” the BJP leader asked.

The unsigned FIR, which was uploaded on the Mumbai police commissioner’s website, exposes the “forgery and cheating” on part of the police commissioner, he claimed.

“I demand a criminal investigation against the Mumbai police commissioner, who asked (police officials) to get such an FIR registered,” Somaiya said.

The BJP leader also said he would meet Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari on Wednesday and inform him about such practices.

“Today, I demanded an official copy of the FIR. I found that I had not signed it. According to CrPC section 154, my signature should have been there. Are the Mumbai police trying to save Shiv Sena goons?” Somaiya asked.

The BJP leader also claimed that he was made to sit at Khar police station for two hours, but his complaint on the matter was not accepted.

“I was told that my complaint would be accepted and I was made to sit for two hours. After receiving a phone call from the Mumbai police commissioner, Khar police station officials destroyed all the papers and the FIR was not registered,” he claimed.

Asked about various allegations, including cheating, levelled against him by leaders of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state, Somaiya said if he had done anything wrong, the authorities were free to take any action against him.

The Mumbai police late Saturday night registered an FIR against Somaiya’s driver for allegedly driving in a rash and negligent manner, due to which a Shiv Sena corporator and a party worker suffered minor injuries, an official earlier said.

The police had on Monday also arrested four Shiv Sena members, including former city Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, for allegedly vandalising Somaiya’s car.

Some people had vandalised Somaiya’s car on Saturday evening when he was returning from Khar police station after meeting independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana following their arrest.

The Rana couple’s plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside ‘Matoshree’, the personal residence of CM Thackeray, on Saturday morning had angered Shiv Sena workers.

Amid Shiv Sena’s stiff resistance, the Rana couple later cancelled the plan, but the duo was arrested.

Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil had said Somaiya should know that arrested persons can only meet their legal counsel or relatives and that the BJP leader had no business going to the police station to meet the Rana couple.