Assistant commissioner of police Dhanraj Vanjari, who was in the limelight following the 26/11 terror attacks in the city, was on Friday booked by the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) for alleged misappropriation of funds along with two other policemen.
According to ACB sources, Vanjari, currently posted with the Naigaon unit of the Local Arms Division, was on a committee handling the purchase of new office space for the Maharashtra Police Welfare Society.
“Vanjari submitted a report showing increased area of the office space, thereby getting additional funds sanctioned for it. He pocketed the difference, transferring it to his son’s account,” said Ramrao Wagh, additional director general, ACB.
Mr Wagh added that Vanjari had been under the scanner for several months now, and after completing its inquiries, the ACB registered a complaint against him as well as two other policemen — an inspector and a constable. Sources added that the misappropriated amount runs into several crores.
Vanjari shot to fame after the 26/11 attacks in the city, when he was senior police inspector at the Cuffe Parade police station. He wrote a scathing letter to his superior at the time, additional commissioner of police (South region)
K. Venkatesham. The letter alleged that he, Vanjari, had specific information about suspicious movement at the Badhwar Park coast, where the terrorists were later found to have landed, and had even launched a patrolling operation, which Mr Venkatesham had allegedly called off. The ACP went on to make several other serious allegations in the letter.
Mr Venkatesham was subsequently transferred from his post.
Vanjari’s subordinates at the Local Arms Unit told The Asian Age that he had also got into tiffs with other superiors there over ego issues, and that he had even written to the police commissioner’s office after being told off by one such superior officer.
Vanjari is also known to be an avid reader, writer and poet, and has also delivered guest lectures at functions. He is a compere at functions organised by the police department.