'Let Me Say It Now'
is an autobiography of highly respected and decorated Indian Police
Service Officer (now retired) Mr. Rakesh Maria Sir. During my training
in SVPNPA in 2016 i saw him at lunch but was not lucky enough to
interact with him. But i knew at that point of time that Kay Kay Menon
did his role in the movie Black Friday made on Bombay attacks of 1993.
He was cult hero.
Three
main incidents or rather tragedies defined Maria's highly decorated
Police career - Bombay blast and brilliant detection of conspiracy
behind it, 26/11 Attacks and Sheena Bora case. Bombay blasts detection
made him a great hero, 26/11 attacks and various associated insinuations
reduced some sheen and the Sheena Bora case controversy applied sudden
brake to his career as he himself suggests in this book.
The
events surrounding 26/11 attacks forms major part of this book. The
heroic sacrifice of Mumbai Police is well known and well documented.
Maria himself got overwhelmed once when he asks Ajmal Kasab to say
Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Kasab says it. His attention to the minute
details of planning and team management is something even very great
leaders can envy. He was unfairly attacked by fellow Police Officers for
his actions during 26/11 attack. He was made incharge of Control Room
by CP Mumbai and he was responsible for mobilization of force on ground
and co-ordination among various teams. He regrets even now that he was
not on ground during those attacks. He regrets for not dying in those
attacks.
He
became Commissioner of Police Mumbai in 2014. During his last few weeks
as CP Mumbai he was unfairly attacked by media for allegedly botching
up Sheena Bora murder case. He was unceremoniously shunted from the post
of CP Mumbai to DG Homeguards in Sept 2015. He retired in Jan 2017.
He himself writes that Transfers and Postings are prerogatives of the State. There are no ill feelings.
Overall its a very nicely written book covering various aspects of legendary Police Officer Rakesh Maria.
Highly Recommended (9/10)
