Retired Mumbai Police ACP Faces Legal Action for Alleged Drunk Driving Incident in Navi Mumbai
A 58-year-old retired Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) from the Mumbai Police department has been formally charged after allegedly operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and colliding with a tempo on a congested roadway in Navi Mumbai's Karave area this past Saturday evening. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the crash.
Legal Proceedings and Evidence Against the Accused
NRI Coastal police have registered a case against the accused, identified as Arun Pokharkar, a resident of Nerul. The charges have been filed under pertinent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving while intoxicated. This action followed a medical examination at NMMC hospital in Vashi, which conclusively confirmed that Pokharkar was driving while drunk.
Although Pokharkar was not taken into custody, authorities served him with an official notice under the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, adhering strictly to legal protocols. A video capturing the inebriated former officer being confronted and physically assaulted by outraged bystanders has circulated widely across various social media platforms, drawing significant public attention to the case.
Misuse of Police Insignia and Departmental Disrepute
Senior Inspector Devendra Pol of the NRI Coastal police station disclosed that during the investigation, Pokharkar's outdated police identity card, identifying him as a senior inspector with the Mumbai Police, was discovered inside the Multi-Utility Vehicle (MUV). Additionally, a police nameplate was found positioned near the windscreen.
Inspector Pol elaborated, stating, "Pokharkar, who was previously attached to the Yellowgate police station as a senior inspector and promoted to ACP shortly before retirement, has recently retired. However, he was illicitly misusing the police nameplate by displaying it on a private vehicle, which constitutes a violation of the law. Consequently, relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act have been invoked against him." Notably, no liquor bottles were recovered from his vehicle during the search.
Pol emphasized the broader implications, remarking, "Instances of retired police officers engaging in drunk driving tarnish the reputation and integrity of the entire police department."
Historical Context: Previous Incident Involving a Police Constable
This event echoes a similar occurrence from August of the previous year, where a 42-year-old police constable named Ravindra Pawar was charged for driving recklessly and at excessive speed under the influence of alcohol, resulting in a collision with a motorcyclist in Ghansoli.
In that incident, the biker, Vicky Uchgavkar (39), and a female pillion rider suffered minor injuries, and the motorcycle sustained damage. The entire episode was recorded by a dash cam installed in a vehicle following the constable's car, and the footage subsequently went viral on social media.
Passersby intervened, stopping Pawar's car at a nearby junction and promptly notifying the Rabale police station. A police team arrived at the scene and detained Pawar, who was visibly intoxicated. Inside his car, authorities allegedly found a plastic bottle containing liquor, further substantiating the charges against him.
