Saturday, May 30, 2020

Book Review [159] : Let Me Say It Now

'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)

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