Four cops from Dharavi suspended for collecting bribes from hawkers

Mumbai: Four cops attached to the Dharavi police station in central Mumbai have been suspended for allegedly collecting money from hawkers and street vendors to spare them from action, an official said on Thursday.

A purported video of the policemen accepting bribes from street sellers recently went viral on social media, he said.

While the four accepted money from the hawkers and roadside vendors for not taking any action against them, their conduct dented the reputation of Mumbai police, the official said.

The police personnel, identified as Mahesh Pujari, Kashinathi Gajare, Gangadhar Kharat and Appasaheb Waghchaure, were posted as beat marshalls.

Taking serious cognisance of their misconduct, the department issued suspension orders to the four on March 1 and 2, the official added.