Sources said police kept itself off land disputes, arguing that they were civil matters. This apparently encouraged the land mafia to carry on their activity, unhindered and unchecked.

Purnima Prabhu, who filed a complaint at Shivajinagar police station against Deepak Mankar's brother Shivaji Mankar, had alleged that no stern action was taken against Mankar's men who attacked her family at their residence in Mukundananda on FC Road, on December 29 last year, but a criminal complaint was registered against her brother Rajeev, who was severely injured in the attack.

The high court had termed the complaint against Rajeev as false. Purnima said Shivaji Mankar had purchased the property and wanted her family to vacate the house in the property.

Additional Commissioner of Police Prabhat Kumar said, “There is a thin line between civil and criminal matters. Most of the land disputes are civil cases. Police can investigate only criminal matters. There is a need to provide guidelines to the inspectors and sub inspectors on investigation of land disputes.”

Asked about the other land grabbing crimes in city, Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh said, “We are receiving fresh complaints of land grabbing other than Mankar's case. That's because people have faith in the police. The terror of land grabbers is nearing its end.”

Meanwhile, a committee of two assistant commissioners is being appointed for probing the allegations against the police in the Natu and Prabhu case.

“The report is expected in a week's time,” said Singh. The police commissioner said there was no pressure on police in Mankar's case.

... contd.