Author: Johnson T A
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: July 24, 2006
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/8940.html
Introduction: Police officer sent many warnings
against terror in Bellary
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged all
state Chief Secretaries today to empower their police forces to fight Naxal
terror, his words couldn't have had a more relevant ring than here-in the
iron-ore rich district of Bellary.
For, behind the Rs 150-crore bribery allegation
that's rocked Karnataka CM H D Kumaraswamy-and his Janata Dal (Secular) coalition
with the BJP-are the stories of how two police investigations have been derailed.
Of how Bellary's Superintendent of Police
Pankaj Kumar Thakur was transferred and his entire anti-Naxalite unit shunted
out after they began investigating alleged links between ruling party politicians
and "pseudo Naxals"-former Naxalites who still use Naxal cover for
a range of illegal activities from gun-running to extortion.
Thakur was investigating an April 3, 2006
police intelligence report from neighbouring Anantapur district in Andhra
Pradesh linking one of Kumaraswamy's Bellary MLAs, N Suryanarayan Reddy, with
one of the key "pseudo Naxal" gun-runners operating in Bellary,
Ranga Reddy.
His second investigation was into a 300-strong
mob attack on May 13, 2006, on the biggest private mineowner in Bellary, MSPL
Limited.
Named in the FIR as key conspirators behind
this attack was the same MLA Suryanarayan Reddy. And his close associate M
P Ravi, son of senior JDS leader and current state Home Minister M P Prakash.
Official records accessed by The Indian Express
show both these probes were preceded by repeated warnings from the Bellary
police:
o As early as May 31 last year, Thakur alerted
his Director General of Police that the mining boom was attracting "undesirable
elements" which, if unchecked, could give rise to a "mafia culture"
in the district.
o In June the same year, the state intelligence
sent a report to the Bellary police warning of a rise in Naxal activity in
the district.
o On February 28 this year, in the first police
complaint filed by a mineowner, S K Modi of Vibuthigudda mines alleged that
he has been receiving extortion calls from Naxalite elements.
o On March 3, last, just after the JDS-BJP
coalition came to power, Thakur once again alerted police headquarters that
"many of the elements involved in illegal mining have Naxal as well as
criminal background."
o Investigations into the Modi extortion attempt
led police to a Bellary hotel where they arrested former Andhra Naxal Hanumanth
Rayudu. Rayudu told police he had been working with Ranga Reddy, a former
Naxalite leader from Anantapur who had taken up arms supply and extortion
activities in AP and Karnataka. (Rayudu was hacked to death by rivals while
being taken to an Anantapur court a few days ago.)
o On April 3, Ranga Reddy's trail led the
Bellary police to a house in Budagumpa near Bellary. Ranga Reddy fled but
the police found 10 stenguns, 22 hand-grenades, over 1,000 detonators, pipe
bombs, lathes for making arms and computer equipment for printing counterfeit
currency.
o Shortly after the raid, the police were
sent a report by the Anantapur police intelligence unit: "Ranga Reddy
is at present moving in Kurgod town of Bellary with one Gopal. Both Gopal
and Ranga Reddy work for Anil Kumar Reddy, son-in-law of MLA of Kurgod."
o The MLA of Kurgod is none other than N Suryanarayan
Reddy, named in the May-13 attack FIR.
o Thakur was away in Italy when the attack
occurred. When he returned on June 21, he issued a memo to his officers directing
them to carry out a thorough probe against all named in the FIR.
o On June 27, orders were issued to transfer
him out of Bellary by the Kumaraswamy government.
And it was days later that bribery allegations
were first levelled against Chief Minister Kumaraswamy by the now-suspended
BJP MLC from Bellary Janardhan Reddy, allegations which the Chief Minister
has denied.
johnson.ta@expressindia.com
