Cop who conducted Hasan Ali sting faces suspension

The Maharashtra government is understood to have decided to take action against a senior police officer, who allegedly filmed the interrogation of Pune-based stud farm Hasan Ali owner in a case in 2008 and later doctored it.

The home ministry has recommended the suspension of Deputy Commissioner of Police Ashok Deshbhratar, currently posted with the Government Railway Police, to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. As Deshbhratar is an Indian Police Service officer only the CM has the authority to suspend him.

The recommendation to suspend the police officer follows a probe conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department into the alleged 'sting operation'. In 2008, Ali who was in the custody of Mumbai Police for being in the possession of two passports was questioned by Deshbhratar and secretly filmed.

In the CD, Ali claimed to have close links with Nationalist Congress Party leaders including Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil. He also claimed that he was part of the meeting that took place among the top leaders of the Congress and NCP for the appointment of Hasan Gafoor as the police commissioner of Mumbai.

The CID inquiry report concluded that Deshbhratar had deliberately leaked the CD to the media after it had been doctored with the intention to malign the state's political leaders.

Deshbhratar had gone on sick leave since March 17.