Four Maharashtra cops win President’s medal for distinguished services

This year, on the occasion of Republic Day, four policemen from Maharashtra shall be conferred with ‘President’s Police Medal For Distinguished Service’ category out of which one such officer who has earned the prestigious title is the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Kherwadi Division, Dinesh Joshi. Joshi who is a Maharashtra State Police Service from 1986 batch holds a decorated service record and this year, the union government has recognised his name on looking at his services offered while being deputed in the central government and even now while he serves for the Mumbai police force.

According to police sources, Joshi after taking up the cop job was posted initially with the city traffic police department after which, he was sent on deputation basis with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) where he was in-charge of the Bank Securities and Fraud Cell (BSFC). Joshi is accredited with handling and detecting very sensitive cases of frauds and scams perpetrated on Bank of India, Dena Bank and several other nationalized banks. Joshi, in 1999, was also deputed to work with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Pune created by the then state government to investigate the ‘Telgi Scam’. Joshi was also selected as a civilian police officer to the United Nation Mission In Kosovo (UNMIK). After taking up charge from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) units of the Mumbai police, Joshi was then promoted as ACP Kherwadi Division.

While speaking to DNA, Joshi said, “It has been a long journey for me to reach over year and it indeed feels good to be appreciated and recognised for the selfless service we offer to the nation. Other officers within the police force too can earn the merit and reach out to the level of excellence only if they are focused and dedicated to the task which they stood for. Serving in the police is not just an ordinary job, but it is a lifestyle so dedication becomes important when it comes to serving without fear of life. An ideal cop is always a student who learns and earns throughout his life,”

Another such officer from the total 40 police officers from Maharashtra who managed to secure the ‘Police Medal for Meritorious Service’ category is police inspector Nandkumar Gopale who is currently stationed at Khar police station. Gopale’s performance has been appreciated and recognised for his work in the detection and investigation of various murder cases committed by the organized crime syndicates.

Gopale is accredited for conviction of accused in rape and murder case of software engineer Ester Anuhya, detection of journalist J Dey’s shootout murder case, arresting accused men involved in 7/11 serial bomb blast in city’s local trains, arresting 21 activists of Indian Mujahideen who were operational in Ahmedabad, Surat and Delhi blast cases and his works during the 26/11 terror attacks at Cama and Allbless Hospital and Hotel Taj. “I would say that is the achievement of dedication and sincerity which have bore sweet fruits at this point in time. I don’t have any expectations but I wish to render my services as long as I can,” said Gopale while speaking to DNA.

Head Constable Pandurang Talawadekar who is currently attached with the N M Joshi Marg police station has also been named among those officers who shall be awarded with the medal under the same category. Talawadekar who is due to retire from the service in the next two years has assisted many senior officers for detection of various crime cases out of which many of them were successfully detected. Talawadekar while speaking about this achievement said, “It is really a big thing for an officer coming from my rank. I had not expected this coming but I would say that experience always make a policeman perfect and sharp. My service and work being acknowledged is indeed a moment which perhaps every cop lives up to.”