Mumbai Police tells Bombay High Court that IPS Officer Rashmi Shukla won't be arrested if she co-operates with investigation
On Thursday, the Mumbai Police told the Bombay High Court that IPS officer Rashmi Shukla will not be arrested for the time being if she co-operates with the investigation.
The statement was made in a hearing before the High Court on a petition by Shukla seeking quashing of the FIR registered by the Mumbai Police against unknown persons for leaking information relating to police postings in the State.
The State said that no arrest will be made till the next date of hearing of the case provided she co-operates with the police.
Currently, IPS Rashmi Shukla is posted at Hyderabad as Additional Director General of South Zone, Central Reserve Police Force.
Mumbai police had summoned her on April 26, 2021 but she had sent a reply articulating her incompetence to remain present due to the COVID situation. Thereafter, the police sent her fresh summons on April 28, 2021 for recording of her statement.
Shukla thereafter approached the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of the FIR. The plea filed through Advocate Sameer Nangre has sought urgent reliefs of "no-coercive action" by the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Police on the apprehension of Shukla's arrest in connection with the FIR.
On Thursday, a Bench of Justices SS Shinde and Manish Pitale observed that due to the ongoing pandemic coupled with the fact that Shukla was officially posted in Hyderabad, there may be difficulty for her to appear before the Mumbai Police.
Senior Advocate Darius Khambata, appearing for the State, suggested that if she cannot travel to Mumbai, a team of police officers from Mumbai could travel to her work location and record her statement.
Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing Shukla, however requested that a statement of 'no-arrest' may be made and that Shukla is willing to co-operate with the investigation.
There was a preliminary opposition from the State considering the offences registered against Shukla were all punishable with imprisonment of up to 3 years which meant the process was to first summon the suspect for interrogation.