City police officers and civic officials will be booked for extortion if they are caught taking bribes from illegal hawkers, according to a directive by the police chief.
Commissioner of Police (CP) Sanjay Pandey issued the order after multiple complaints and suggestions from Mumbaikars through social media. Pandey, who had been consulting with  BMC officials on action against illegal hawkers, has asked the Crime Branch to register extortion cases against officers, officials from the BMC and other concerned authorities who take bribes and allow illegal hawkers to mushroom in the city, sources said.

The CP believes this action will help address the issue, the sources added. He has also instructed Mumbai Joint CP (Crime) Milind Bharambe to ensure action against officers indulging in such practices.

"We have been going to each and every hawker to find who allows them to run their illegal business by occupying roads and footpaths. So far, no one has come forward to complain, because it appears they willingly pay the officers. But if we get evidence, we are going to register an extortion case against them,” an officer of the Crime Branch said.

Soon after taking charge as the CP, Pandey launched multiple campaigns in the interest of citizens, like de-cluttering public spaces, action against wrong-side riders and Sunday Streets. He was also asked about hawker-free streets, and assured to take action. Initially, he took the help of the BMC to remove hawkers from within 100 meters of the railway stations. His next move is booking police officers and civic officials who take bribes from the hawkers.

At an online meeting with the 12 unit heads of the Crime Branch, Bharambe instructed them to book corrupt police officers and BMC officials in extortion cases for promoting illegal hawkers on footpaths, sources said.

In the meeting he also asked officers to conduct frequent checks for any violations at dance bars, keep an eye on big crimes and underworld ganglords and to control the drug menace though nine dedicated units of the elite wing Anti  Narcotics Cell.