Mumbai: A local court today ordered the police to register an FIR against Maharashtra police chief A N Roy and six other policemen in a three-year-old case related to an illegal detention of a person under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities (MPDA) Act.

The Bandra metropolitan magistrate today directed the Vakola police to register an FIR against seven policemen including state DGP Roy, who was then Mumbai police commissioner and two deputy commissioners of police and conduct an investigation into the matter.

Raj Awasthi, the complainant, was illegally detained under the MPDA Act by the Vakola police for which Roy had given his sanction relying on a document which was later proved to have been forged.

Vakola police in October 2005 had received an anonymous letter alleging that Awasthi has been threatening them and that he had assaulted them with the help of his men.

The letter was sent to Roy seeking sanction to detain Awasthi under the MPDA Act. Roy on December 29, 2005 gave his sanction for Awasthi's detention without verifying the authenticity of the letter.

Following this Awasthi was detained on January 3, 2006 and was kept in jail for four months. After four months, the Bombay High Court set aside his detention order and ordered his release.

Awasthi then approached the Bandra metropolitan magistrate court seeking action against the police officers. The magistrate today directed the Vakola police to initiate inquiry against the police officers including Roy and submit a report.
Source : PTI