THANE: FIR registration for a cognizable crime depends on the police’s mood . This is what senior inspector Mohan Sanke and assistant sub-inspector Gavkar told a banker, Manish Kumar (24), who had approached the Thane GRP to report theft of his wallet and smartphone from Thane station ’s foot overbridge ( FOB ) on Monday.

The cops, however, turned submissive after a call from GRP commissioner Ravindra Singhal, directing the duo to follow procedure and register an FIR without any delay.

Kumar was reportedly subjected to ridicule and humiliation when he sought to report the theft. “He was waiting at the FOB on Monday evening, He headed towards Churchgate to take the Golden Temple Express when his his wallet containing his credit, debit and PAN cards and his high-end phone were flicked from his bag. He realized the theft when he spotted the bag was unzipped. We approached the GRP immediately,” said Mohan, Kumar’s cousin.

“We pleaded with the police to register an FIR and check footage of CCTVs at the FOB. Travelling long distance without any photo ID and cellphone would have been difficult and hence we requested the GRP to check the footage,” he said.

Sanke and Gavkar reportedly made them wait, saying they were occupied with other work. “When I requested Gavkar to take down the complaint as Kumar had to board a train for Delhi, he said he was not in the mood and that he was busy with official work. He said the FIR can wait till he gets into the mood to register it. I was stunned,” Mohan said.

“When I persisted, Gavkar asked me to write an application, giving details of the theft and requesting the RPF to allow me to see the footage. When I approached RPF officers with this note, which was stamped by the GRP, they refused to acknowledge it. I was told that unless a GRP authorized personnel accompanies me, they willnot show me the footage,” Mohan said.

Mohan then called up Singhal and informed him of the harassment at the hands of the officers. “When Singhal called up, Sanke and Gavkar promptly recorded the FIR. Later, they pleaded to me and said I should not have called Singhal for such a trivial matter,” he said.

