Defending himself against the FIR filed by Chitra Salunkhe, senior inspector Avinash Sonavne of Mahim police station said, “I had never asked for her mangalsutra, forget taking it.”
Ms Salunkhe, former vice-principal of Siddharth College of Law is fighting a case against the principal of the college and ADG of police, K.L. Bishnoi, who allegedly topped a practical exam as part of the LLB last year examination without appearing for it in 2005. Ms Salunkhe was the examiner of the exam.
In August 2013, she filed another FIR, this time against Mr Sonavne for criminal breach of trust. As police inspector at Azad Maidan, Mr Sonavne was investigating a case of theft filed by Ms Salunkhe in 2005 against authorities of Siddharth College, where she claimed that her books and salary had been stolen from her cabin in the college.
Mr Sonavne said that the books were kept in the library by the college authorities as renovation work was underway. “She was informed in advance about the renovation work,” he said.
“After investigating the case, I filed a C summary report stating that the FIR filed by Ms Salunkhe was neither true nor false, which turned out not be in her favour,” Mr Sonavne said.
However, Ms Salunkhe later alleged, “Sonavne took my mangalsutra as bribe in February 2006 and has not returned it till date. In February 2010, I called him to get it back, but he sent me an SMS asking me to come and get it.”
“I called him several times, but he did not respond. I then approached joint commissioner, crime, Himanshu Roy, who set up an inquiry, following which a FIR was registered,” she added.
Mr Sonavne has countered it and said, “About three DCPs and legal experts from Mumbai police have stated that no FIR can be made out against me. The FIR against me is based on a Supreme Court judgment which states that a complaint has to be registered first, after which it can be investigated.”