26/11 Hero's Wife Gets RTI Order to Seek Police Record

Mumbai | Oct 24, 2009 The Maharashtra Chief Information Officer (CIO) has asked city police to allow Vinita, widow of slain police officer Ashok Kamte, scrutiny of the original transcripts of telephone calls between control room and police officers on the day of terror attacks last year. CIO Suresh Joshi has also asked the police to provide copies of original transcripts of telephone calls and control room log book and documents to Kamte within 30 days. The order was passed on Kamte's appeal against the order of a Deputy Police Commissioner who allowed her scrutiny of documents but refused to provide copies of the originals. Kamte and two other police officers, Hemant Karkare and Vijay Salaskar, were shot dead by terrorists Abu Ismael and Ajmal Kasab on November 26 last year. Kamte told PTI, "there were too many discrepancies in reports on shoot-out in which my husband and two other senior officers were killed. Unfortunately, police never told us what had happened. According to a news report, police control room was not aware that bodies of the slain officers were lying for 40 minutes behind Cama Hospital after the shoot-out". "Only when I went to the spot and talked to people and officers I learnt that there was an exchange of fire between terrorists and the three officers. Police clarified this later but it was a half hearted explanation. Therefore, I was curious to know what had happened on that night," she said. Kamte clarified she was seeking details of control room records only for own satisfaction and that she had not embarked on a blame game exercise. Kamte said, initially, she wrote a letter to the city Police Commissioner seeking details. He forwarded her letter to Joint Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria but there was no response. Kamte then filed an application through Right to Information Act to get details. The RTI officer rejected Kamte's application. He attached a letter from Maria, saying the case was on and the matter was sub-judice, Kamte said, adding, she filed an appeal before DCP who allowed her scrutiny of documents but refused to provide the originals. Kamte said she then filed another appeal which has now allowed her scrutiny of original documents.