It's said that Columbo was based on the character of the Police Inspector in Crime And Punishment.s

Interesting, I've always thought the immediate inspiration for Lt. Columbo was the detective from The Exorcist (both novel and movie). Come to think of it, though, I think I have heard about Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment Police Inspector being an inspiration, too.

Yeah, he was. I've read quite a few interviews with Columbo's creators and they repeatedly cite Dostoyevsky as an influence.
Now, whether that's 100% accurate recollection or wishful thinking based on what makes a better story, I'm not certain...

Well, I finally stopped being lazy and pulled out my copy of The Columbo Phile: A Casebook by Mark Dawidziak. And yep, according to Columbo co-creator, Richard Levinson, Police Inspector Petrovich was indeed one of the inspirations for the Lt. The other was Father Brown. Levinson and William Link, the other man resposible for the creation of Columbo take umbrage at the idea that the Lt. was in any way influenced by the character Lt. Kinderman from The Exorcist. They state that Columbo was created years before Blatty's novel appeared.

Columbo was originally part of the Friday Night
Mysteries anthology series that also included
McCloud and McMillan & Wife.