TRAPPED FOR EXPOSÉ

TRAPPED FOR EXPOSÉ
ATUL CHATURVEDI

POLICE MANIPULATION Suresh helps the Lok Ayukta catch police inspector Mudhavi red-handed for bribery Cops from Upparpet police station force Suresh’s friend Ramachandra to plant ganja in his residence so that they can implicate him in a false case When Ramachandra refuses, they use him as a bait to lure Suresh Once in their custody, the cops threaten Suresh and foist a petty case
It’s sheer infamy. Policemen are supposed to protect innocent people and deter wrongdoers, but here is another instance of the Bangalore police protecting wrongdoers and leaning heavily on innocent folk. A week after former DCP (South) S Ravi had allegedly kidnapped a Tamil Nadu-based businessman to fix a property deal, Upparpet police were found coercing a whistleblower who had helped Lok Ayukta in red-handedly nabbing a corrupt cop. Suresh, who had played a key role in the arrest of Upparpet police inspector M R Mudhavi, and his friend Ramachandra were severely harassed by the cops, and a petty case was foisted on the former.
After the Lok Ayukta raid and the subsequent suspension of Mudhavi, his colleagues decided to retaliate against Suresh. Suffering for blowing the whistle
They used his friend Ramachandra as a bait. In a complaint lodged by Ramachandra with DCP (West) B Shivakumar, he said, “Upparpet police station PSI Kallappa Karath called me on my mobile at 11.30 am on Tuesday. He did not introduce himself as a policeman but said he was a courier boy and wanted to deliver a parcel.” Ramachandra said he would meet the ‘courier boy’ at Tirumala Kalyana Mantap near Lagerre road. However, when he reached the spot, there was no one.
COPS TURN COURIER BOYS
In his complaint, Ramachandra further alleges that Karath again called him to meet at Pooja Kalyana Mantap, Kamakshipalya. He also received another call from Chandru, a police constable of Kamakshipalya, to enquire whether he had received a parcel sent by his boss. When Ramachandra denied receiving any such parcel, Chandru, who too was speaking under the guise of a ‘courier boy’, told the former to meet him at Pavitra Paradise near Basaveshwara Nagar.
“As per his instructions, I figured out Chandru who was waiting for me on a ‘Cheetah’ bike. Finally, at 2 PM, I met Chandru and Karath at Basaveshwaranagar,” Ramachandra told Bangalore Mirror. “From there Karath and Chandru took me to Kamakshipalya police station and enquired about Suresh. Karath said he needed a favour from Suresh as some people were blackmailing him,” he added. However, Ramachandra did not want to reveal Suresh’s address. Meanwhile at 4 pm, constables Srinivas Shetty, Vijay and Venkatesh came to Kamakshipalya police station.
DRAMA BEGINS
Ramachandra alleges that there was no respite for him thereafter. “From Kamakshipalya, the cops took me in a private vehicle to Shantala Silk Road near Upparpet police station. Karath once again asked me to reveal details of Suresh. However, when I refused, he took me to Swarna Deluxe near Kapali theatre without entering any details. They forcefully kept me in a room the whole night. Karath also said that he had procured call details of Suresh and asked me as to why Suresh had called me up for two minutes on the day when Mudhavi was caught. I replied that Suresh wanted to merely know whether television channels were carrying the news of the Lok Ayukta trap,” Ramachandra said.
Srinivas Shetty and Venkatesh, along with two other constables, watched over Ramachandra the whole night in the lodge, taking turns. Another PSI of Upparpet police station, Prakash Reddy came and enquired about Suresh. We will give you weed and you have to plant it in either Sureshs residence or office and we will pay you Rs 50,000 for the work,” the cops told Ramachandra. By coincidence, Suresh phoned me around that time. The cops forced me to switch on the speaker before allowing me take the call. Suresh asked Ramachandra to meet him at his office on Wednesday at 10.30 am.
The next day, the cops went along with Ramachandra, but in a different vehicle. They then took Suresh and Ramchandra with them to a police chowki in Kempe Gowda bus stand. It was 1 pm when constable Vijay came and threatened to book Ramchandra in a fake case if he dared to reveal anything that had happened in the past 24 hours.
SURESH NOT DETERRED
The police booked a petty case against Suresh and freed him the same evening. “I was threatened by the police to withdraw the case against Mudhavi or else face stern action,” Suresh said. “It was intolerable. These cops have done a lot of things which I never expected. They kidnapped my friend and booked a fake case against me. I have lodged a complaint with DCP (west) B Shivkumar and will see to it that the cops who misbehaved with me and Ramchandra are punished, he added. Throughout, the cops were in touch with some unidentified caller and they were briefing him about all the activities,” Suresh said.
POLICE DENY IT
I have received a petition from Suresh and Ramchandra complaining against two PSIs along with constables of Upparpet police station. It also claimed the alleged kidnapping of Ramchandra and of booking a false petty case against Suresh. I am going through it. If the cops are found guilty, necessary action will be taken against them,” DCP (West) B Shivkumar said.
On his part, Kallappa Karath denied everything, saying, “It is just a fortnight since I have taken charge. I had never seen either Suresh and Ramachandra, except two days ago when Suresh was brought in for a petty offence.” However, Karath was not ready to answer further queries stating that he was busy driving and could not take a call.