The Bombay High Court has directed senior police officers of the Mira-Bhayandar Police Commissionerate to address the grievances raised against an investigating officer by dance group V Unbeatable, which recently won the ‘America’s Got Talent: The Champions’, and take necessary steps. 

The HC was hearing a petition by the dance group alleging that they were duped by their former manager to the tune of Rs 11.96 crore. Their plea sought directions for the police to register an FIR against choreographer Om Prakash Chauhan and a few others. The dance group had also alleged that the police from the Mira Road police station were complicit with the choreographer / former manager and physically assaulted them when the group members sought to recover their money.

Since then, an FIR has been filed at the Mira Road Police Station, and the case is being probed by the crime branch. 

The group has, however, alleged that the investigating officer has mistreated them as if they were the accused. “We are called on several occasions to record statements and are made to wait for 2–3 hours in the hot sun outside the crime branch premises. When our statements are recorded, they are not documented in accordance with our narrative. Material evidence provided by us is ignored and not taken on record,” an affidavit filed by the group read. 

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Neela Gokhale recently noted: “Petitioner has made serious allegations against the Investigating Officer-Shri. Ranaware.” The court then asked the assistant commissioner of police and the deputy commissioner of police to look into the matter. “We expect that the ACP as well as the DCP to go through the said affidavit and to take appropriate steps, as they may deem so necessary,” the bench said. 

The court has asked petitioner and their current manager “to meet the ACP/DCP concerned for redressal of their grievance”. 

The HC has kept the matter for hearing on January 20. 

V Unbeatable gained fame after winning America’s Got Talent: The Champions and won 25,000 dollars. The group also earned substantial amounts through other performances which were allegedly misappropriated. The group members come from poor families and initially practised in an open space in a garden in Bhayander Khadi.