Aftab Siddiqui (59) is a teacher turned activist based in Bandra. Known for her no-nonsense attitude, she has championed several causes pertaining to the community. She evinces keen interest in police matters since law and order impinges on the daily lives of citizens. She spoke to S Balakrishnan on a range of issues.
Excerpts: You have been closely following the sensational Baba Siddique murder case. What is the update? I have been continuously asking from the DGP downwards about this murder. All that I am told is that the anti-extortion cell and the ATS are investigating. The 26 accused caught are jobless youths and bhangarwalas who came to Mumbai to threaten and extort money from the film industry and businessmen. Baba Siddique’s murder has nothing to do with all this.
The central government is silent. The state government simply keeps saying that justice will prevail. The murder is not being taken seriously. The police has not been to find the real motive. Till the BJP is in power at the Centre and Maharashtra the truth will not come out.
You took up the case of police officers from Khar going to Vakola and planting drugs on a man at the behest of a builder. What happened to that?
The three officers leaving their jurisdiction and going to another zone itself was questionable. Khar station is a prime posting. Through political influence or heavy bribes a cop gets posted here. No IPS officer dares to take a call. In another case two officers of Santa Cruz, Rajendra Kane and Amar Patil, were found guilty of extortion. But no IPS officer had the guts to take action against them. I remember the days when Himanshu Roy and Milind Bharambe were joint commissioners. They never turned down people.
You have been watching the Mumbai Police over the years. What difference do you find now?
Local stations are aware that the head office does not address their issues. Crime has increased and the attitude of the police station staff is that they know better than citizens. Stations were earlier tasked with monitoring sensitive points after 4pm, but not any more. Investigations take long. Earlier activists were like the eyes and ears in governance but now the police label them as nuisance. They will do so because they don’t get to support criminals or take bribes.
Earlier IPS officers would issue written orders to their subordinates on written complaints from citizens. These orders are now often issued over phones and matters are forgotten. For years one has to keep following up issues.
