Police constable Nitin Khavade, arrested on Thursday in the call detail record (CDR) racket, was instigated by software engineer Ajinkya Nagargoje to fraudulently obtain CDRs by using the official email address of the Superintendent of Police, Yavatmal, Thane Police sources said on Friday.
Mr. Khavade, who was posted with the Cyber Cell of the Yavatmal Police, was arrested for allegedly obtaining CDRs from cellular service providers and providing them to Mr. Nagargoje, who was arrested earlier. “Mr. Nagargoje and Mr. Khavade met at the Yavatmal Police headquarters two years ago and were in contact since then. Mr. Nagargoje approached Mr. Khavade and gave him the idea of obtaining CDRs,” senior police inspector Nitin Thakre, Unit I, Thane Crime Branch, said.
Yavatmal SP M. Rajkumar confirmed that Mr. Khavade was among the personnel authorised to operate his email account. “We are taking measures to avoid such incidents in future. Appropriate departmental action will be taken against Mr. Khavade,” he said.
Mr. Khavade has been booked for cheating under the Indian Penal Code and sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Telegraph Act.
“We are interrogating him to gauge the extent of his involvement,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Trimukhe, Thane Crime Branch, said.
Meanwhile, the Thane Crime Branch has issued notices to several clients of the five private detectives arrested so far, asking them to present themselves for inquiries. Investigating officers said that if they asked for CDRs knowing that it is against the law, they will face legal action too.
The police have arrested five private detectives, including Rajani Pandit, apart from Nagargoje and Jaspreet Singh, an employee of a firm that handled back-office operations for a cellular service provider.
