Pradip Sawant

Pradip Sawant (born 1962) is an Indian Police Officer, currently serving as the DCP Security Branch in Mumbai Police.[1] He is a recipient of the President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2002.[2] He was behind more than 300 encounters in Mumbai during his stint as DCP (Detection Crime Branch) between the years 2000 and 2003.[3][4][5]

Pradip Sawant
DCP Pradip Sawant
Born (1962-01-25) 25 January 1962
Thane, Maharashtra, India
Other namesPradeep Sawant
P.B. Sawant
Alma materRamnarain Ruia College
University of Mumbai
Police career
CountryIndia
DepartmentMumbai Police
Rank Deputy commissioner of police
AwardsPresident's Police Medal for Meritorious Service

He was suspended in 2004 for his alleged involvement in Telgi stamp paper scam, but was reinstated in 2009, and posted as DCP ATS Mumbai, after he was found innocent in June 2007.[3]

Early life & education

He completed his B.Sc in Chemistry from Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai. He was selected as a Dy.Sp in Maharashtra Police through MPSC exam, in 1986. He is said to have topped his batch at the Maharashtra Police Academy in Nashik, reported by Outlook India.[6]

Career

Sawant was instrumental in breaking the back of several underworld gangs including Chhota Shakeel, Chhota Rajan, Ashwin Naik, Arun Gawli between 1998 and 2003 following a spurt in gangland shoot-outs in 1998.[7][8]

He also detected the murder case of Bharat Shah,[9] Owner of Roopam chain stores who was shot dead by Dawood gang in 1998.[10]

He was responsible for arresting gangsters, affiliated to Chhota Shakeel (Dawood gang) for attempted murder on Milind Vaidya, former Mayor of Mumbai in March 1999; in the attack, 3 people were killed and 7 others including Vaidya were seriously injured.[11]

In December 1999, his team arrested three alleged terrorists who had abetted the hijacking of the Indian Airlines flight 814 from Kathmandu in Nepal.[2] Pradip Sawant had formed special squads that arrested 486 alleged gangsters and shot dead 156 criminals in encounters.[2]

Position held
TenurePost
1987–1988Probationary Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thane Rural, District
1988–1989Deputy Superintendent of Police, Latur Sub Division
1989–1991Deputy Superintendent of Police, Alibag Sub Division, Raigad District
1991–1996Deputation to ONGC, Mumbai as Jt. Director Vigilance
1996– 1997Additional Deputy Commissioner, C.I.D. Intelligence Mumbai
1997–1998Assistant Commissioner of Police, Byculla Division, Mumbai
1988–2000Assistant Commissioner of Police, D-1 South, Detection Crime Branch, Mumbai
2000–2003Deputy Commissioner of Police, Detection, Crime Branch, Mumbai
2003–2004Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Branch, Mumbai
2009–2015Deputy Commissioner of Police, Anti-Terrorism Squad, Mumbai
2015–2017Deputy Commissioner of Police, HQ 1, Licencing, Mumbai
May 2017– PresentDeputy Commissioner of Police, Security, Mumbai

Controversy

In January 2004, Sawant was booked under MCOCA[12] and suspended for his alleged involvement in the multi-crore Abdul Karim Telgi fake stamp paper scam.[13][7] On 27 June 2007, he along with Mumbai Police Commissioner RS Sharma, was discharged by the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court in Pune in the fake stamps and stamp papers case for lack of evidence.[14][15][16]

Awards & recognition
  • He was conferred with the President's Police Medal[2] for Meritorious Service in 2002.
  • He received the Deepak Jog Memorial trophy for the Best Investigating Officer for the year 2000.[17]
  • On 12 June 1998, Sawant gets the Best Crime Detection Award from Gopinath Munde, Deputy CM of Maharashtra at the Police Club, Mumbai.[18]

The 1999 Bollywood film Sarfarosh starring Aamir Khan is said to be inspired by Pradip Sawant.[19] Often the character of ACP Ajay Singh Rathod, which was played by Aamir Khan in the film Sarfarosh is closely associated with Sawant.[3]

Further reading
  • Dangerous Minds: Eight Riveting Profiles of Homegrown Terrorists. Penguin Random House, 2018. ISBN 9386495996.
  • Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia. Roli Books Private Limited, 2012. ISBN 9788174368188.
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References
  1. "Major reshuffle in Mumbai police". DNA India. 4 May 2017.
  2. "DCP honoured with President's medal". The Times of India. 15 August 2002.
  3. "Cops Hail Return Of Encounter Specialist". Mid-Day. 19 July 2009.
  4. "Former Mumbai crime branch DCP Pradeep Sawant walks free". OneIndia.com. 27 June 2007.
  5. Pawar, Prabhakaar (12 February 2003). "एकाकी लढत" (in Marathi). Saamana.
  6. "DCP Pradip Sawant's wife claims he is innocent". Outlook India. 28 February 2004.
  7. Singh, Vijay (7 January 2004). "SIT arrests top Mumbai cop Pradeep Sawant". Rediff.com.
  8. Naidu, Jayprakash S. (1 November 2015). "Encounter cops too have shot into oblivion". Asian Age.
  9. "Bharat Shah trial to resume in special court". The Times of India. 1 June 2003.
  10. "Gangster arrested for murder of apparel superstore owner". Rediff.com. 22 October 1998.
  11. "Vaidya attack case: HC sets aside death sentence". The Times of India. 18 December 2003.
  12. "Stamp scam: DCP Pradip Sawant granted bail". Hindustan Times. 27 August 2004.
  13. "DCP Pradeep Sawant arrested in fake Stamp paper scam". Zee News. 7 January 2004.
  14. Joshi, Yogesh; Sharan, Abhishek (28 June 2007). "Stamp paper scam: Telgi to plead guilty". Hindustan Times.
  15. "Not Guilty". Mumbai Mirror. 28 June 2007.
  16. Vyas, Hetal (15 July 2010). "Telgi scam continues to haunt police". DNA India.
  17. "DCP Sawant gets Jog Memorial trophy". The Times of India. Wn.com.
  18. "Restore confidence, Munde tells police". The Afternoon Despatch & Courier. 12 January 1998.
  19. "Mumbai cops emulate 'Sarfarosh' spirit in terror bust". Zee News. 11 May 2003.
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