Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria admitted to the mistake of allowing a rape accused to perform during Umang, an event organised by the police department on Saturday. The commissioner said that they were taking measures to ensure such mistakes did not happen again. “I admit it’s a mistake. The event organisers make the list of celebrities who come to perform. We just tell them that we do not want any controversial people to be part of the event. We will ensure such mistakes are not repeated.”
However, the event organisers have not been held responsible either as it was not deliberate on their part.
The singer Ankit Tiwari (25) was arrested by the Versova police in May last year for allegedly raping a divorcee by spiking her drink while his brother Ankur had been arrested on charges of criminal intimidation after he threatened the victim at knife point against filing a police complaint.
Ankit had performed at the festival just after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis left the venue. CP Rakesh Maria had also visited the event along with other senior IPS officers in the city police commissionerate.
Ankit’s manager Gayatri Sonalkar confirmed that the former performed at the event. “He had formally been invited by the city police to perform at the festival.”
Meanwhile, Ankit Monday moved the Bombay high court seeking to quash a case of rape against him. The division bench of Justices Ranjit More and Anuja Prabhudessai will hear the petition on January 14.
