Mumbai Police Summons Veteran IPS Officer Rashmi Shukla. But Why So?

The cops are a bit different from the rest of us. They stay awake whilst we sleep peacefully at night. There might be such a thing like a national holiday for us. But for them- it’s nation first and above everything else, and that includes personal affairs and family time. During grave crisis, hostile situations, emergencies, unforeseen dangerous events, the police forces guard us and become our first frontier of hope when there’s none around. Yet, it also becomes a painful site when one among the venerable cops gets summons.

Wondering what’s being said here? Well check this out. Take the case of veteran IPS officer by the name of Rashmi Shukla. She just got summoned by the Mumbai Police.

The reason?

Rashmi Shukla has been summoned in connection with a case registered with the BKC Cyber Police station, in the city of Mumbai. And if you’ll get to know the matter, then it may take you by a surprise.

The matter’s connected to the Official Secrets Act of the country against unknown persons for a matter concerning alleged tapping of phones as well as leaking of findings pertaining to official secret documents.

The summons were issued to Rashmi Shukla recently, and she’s been asked to be present before the Mumbai Police on April 28, the documents reached her at her Hyderabad residence.

What’s surprising is to note that the complaint was registered by the State Intelligence Department last month.

The big question at this point is- is this the beginning of something that could, in all likelihood, be called a murky affair?

Though first things first. It’s important to take cognisance of the respect that Ms. Rashmi Shukla carries. A 1988-batch officer, she is one of the senior most officers in the entirety of the state, a figurehead if you like. In her current capacity, she is serving as ADG Central Reserve Police Force (also known as the CRPF) and had been posted in the southern city of Hyderabad.

The matter seems serious and it can be stated that only in the next few days can one get to the bottom of the controversy. Although, for now, here is what the Indian Express report had to say in its coverage of the story:

Sources said that Shukla has been asked to present herself before ACP N K Jadhav 11 am Wednesday. An official said they believe she has information that would help them investigate the case and hence she has been issued summons.

Sources said that some others including senior officers and politicians too may be asked to join the probe if the need arises.

The FIR was registered after Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte had alleged in a report to CM Uddhav Thackeray that the IPS officer may have leaked a confidential report that she had prepared on alleged corruption in transfers in the Maharashtra police department to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis.

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That said, the crux of the matter revolves around the sensitive issue of phone tapping, the incident occurring in 2020. The allegation from which Rashmi Shukla would have to defend herself concerns her involvement in illegal tapping of phones, a matter for which she had also apologised.

But what’s known is that basis what Rashmi Shukla says in her defence, the investigative officer will decide the next course of action in the case.