The two policemen, who had opened the Pandora’s box that is the multi-thousand-crore house-of-cards scam in Vasai-Virar, were, in an abrupt move, given punishment postings at the Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police headquarters earlier this month. While a senior police officer alleged that ASI Surendra Shivade and constable Sudhir Sapte had been transferred over serious allegations of corruption, an activist attributed the move to the pressure created by the builder mafia who have been having sleepless nights ever since the duo brought the scam to light. 

Shivade and Sapte were attached to the Virar police station. The multi-thousand-crore house of cards scam was exposed only because they had worked fearlessly. Senior police officers were kept in the loop when they were doing the groundwork before the matter was brought to the public domain through a press conference,” said an officer attached to Virar police station.