India cops sacked for partying with gangsters

Jan 4, 2010, 7:58 GMT

New Delhi - Authorities in India's western state of Maharashtra have sacked five police officers after they were caught on video dancing with mafia dons at a holiday party, media reports said Monday.

The state Interior Ministry took the decision Sunday after a video shot by a police informer was broadcast on several Indian news channels, media reports said.

The video shocked the country's security establishment as the videotaped officers include two senior Mumbai policemen, VN Salve and Prakash Vani, the NDTV network reported.

Salve - in charge of intelligence and providing security to VIPs - and four other policemen attended the bash thrown by underworld don Chota Rajan's aides D K Rao and Paulson Joseph at a city club.

Rao is one of the key recruiters of the gang and was recently released from prison.

In a preliminary inquiry, Mumbai police chief D Sivanandan said the evidence included testimonies of others who attended the party and photographs of the officers interacting with gang members.

The policemen were seen on video footage, drinking and dancing with the crime lords to the tune of a Bollywood song which, incidentally, glorifies Mumbai gangsters.

Salve denied attending the party and claimed he was present at the club to attend a children' show hosted by a local politician.

'I have never met them (the mafia) and don't have anything to do with this,' he told NDTV. 'I was invited for a children's show.'