HC orders inquiry against cops after lawyer’s arrest

Mumbai: The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed the Bombay high court (HC) judgement ordering an inquiry against Thane crime branch deputy commissioner of police in the Call Data Records (CDR) scam case. The HC has ordered an inquiry against the police following the arrest of celebrity lawyer Rizwan Siddiqui for alleged illegal possession of CDR of individuals.

The SC has also issued a notice to the lawyer asking him to file his reply in the matter within four weeks. The Thane police is awaiting the apex court's order for compliance and to know its nitty-gritties.

“We are yet to receive the order from the SC. We would be in a better position to comment once we know its details,” said Abhishek Trimukhe, deputy commissioner of police, Thane crime branch.

The police said that they will begin further investigation in the case and are likely to summon Ayesha Shroff for recording her statement.

Her name cropped up in the probe after the police learnt that she had allegedly procured CDR of actor Sahil Khan.

The duo had lodged several cases against each other pertaining to monetary dispute and in its backdrop, she sought for his details. The police also found that she had procured the CDR and given it to a person for using it against Mr Khan. Identity of the person who provided her with Mr Khan’s CDR is yet to be established. Siddiqui meanwhile was arrested for allegedly procuring CDR data of actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s wife.

The actor approached the lawyer seeking for the details after he suspected that she was having an extra marital affair.

Senior Thane police officers had also asserted that Siddiqui was summoned for statement as 'a prime witness' in the case and he was not a suspect. It was later claimed that the lawyer acted himself and procured the CDR fraudulently. The case is being probed further.