The Mumbai Police, in their investigation into a purported "fake letter" accusing eight constables of sexual harassment within its Motor Transport (MT) department, have narrowed their focus on a constable within the same department as the alleged sender of the letter. Authorities cite statements from two fellow officers who claim the constable confessed to sending the letter to the Chief Minister's office before absconding as evidence in the case.
Authorities are presently searching for the constable, and upon his apprehension, they will determine the subsequent steps in the investigation. Police speculate that the incident may be linked to a rivalry between two factions within the department, suggesting that this conflict might have motivated the constable to compose the letter.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, the crime branch has gathered statements from more than 10 individuals, including the constables named in the letter and other staff members within the department. No one has made any accusations regarding such behavior within the unit, the source stated. Regarding the sender of the letter, an official disclosed that during the investigation, it was discovered that a constable assigned to the unit, who had been missing for several weeks, was responsible for sending the letter, which later surfaced on social media.
According to a report of Indian Express, After the matter was leaked on social media platforms, he confided in two of his colleagues that he had made the mistake of sending the letter. Since then he has been missing, a source said. The source said that there had been animosity between two factions formed at the unit and suspect it to be the reason for the constable having written the letter.
A fabricated letter purportedly authored by eight female constable drivers surfaced on social media, leveling grave accusations of rape, sexual harassment, and corruption against a Deputy Commissioner of Police and two police inspectors within the motor vehicle department. Prompted by these allegations, the Joint Commissioner (Administration) called for an investigation into the matter. A source revealed that the inquiry aimed to verify the veracity of the allegations, with the subsequent report concluding that the claims outlined in the letter were unfounded.
In response, an FIR was filed at the Nagpada police station against unidentified individuals, citing charges under sections 500 (defamation), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), and 465 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the IT Act on January 9. Approximately ten days later, the case was transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch for further investigation.