Stressing that gangsters like Dawood Ibrahim become "big" when they are patronised by politicians, former Mumbai police commissioner MN Singh said the police force must be taken out of political control to reform it. Speaking at the launch event of the book "Bombay After Ayodhya", written by ABP News journalist Jitendra Dixit, Singh shared his experiences in fighting the underworld and the investigation into the 1993 serial bomb blasts in the aftermath of the Babri demolition.
"Dawood Ibrahim became a monster because he was given social recognition. Good people hobnobbed with him. They felt great being seen in his company. Many builders and film producers kept gangsters on their payroll," the former Mumbai top cop said.
"Politicians use criminals because they think they have a hold over society. They can get votes. What can the police do in this? Politicians wake up only when it comes to their necks. Now I hear politicians getting involved with gangsters and are purchasing property from them," he further said.
"Bombay After Ayodhya" traces the key events in Mumbai after the Babri mosque demolition riots and how they affected various spheres of life in the city, including its politics, underworld, social fabric, film industry and financial market.
The 1993 serial blasts killed over 250 people and left over 1,000 injured. Famous spots like the Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India building, Mumbai Airport and Zaveri Bazar were among those targeted.
Referring to the bomb scare case outside industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house 'Antilia' and trader Mansukh Hiran’s murder, Singh expressed anguish over the conduct of certain police officers from the force.
Calling it a "shameful incident in the history of Mumbai Police", Singh said, "The motto of the Mumbai Police is to protect the good and finish the bad, but in this case, the cops acted in contradiction. An innocent person was killed. I can only apologise on behalf of the Mumbai police. Such things happen when politicians get involved. The police must be taken out of the political control to reform it."
Senior journalist Rajiv Khandekar, who was another speaker at the event, said Dixit's book revealed many interesting facts about the events that happened in Mumbai in the last thirty years since the 1993 attack.
"Jitendra has been able to reach out to the investigation officer of the Pramod Mahajan murder case who was elusive and resigned from the police as soon as the investigation was completed. The book tells us the real circumstances which led Pravin Mahajan to shoot his brother," said Khandekar.
Pramod Mahajan, former minister in the NDA government and a BJP stalwart, was shot by his younger brother Pravin on April 22, 2006. His brother-in-law Gopinath Munde rushed him to Hinduja Hospital, where he succumbed to the injuries twelve days later on May 3. Pravin was tried and sentenced for life imprisonment for his murder.