BENGALURU: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that a member of the gang arrested in the Lokayukta extortion racket had also kidnapped a tahsildar and received Rs 2 lakh as ransom from him after threatening him at gunpoint. AAP convener in the state, Mr Ravikrishna Reddy, said that the Tahsildar of Bengaluru North (Additional) Taluk, Balappa Handigund, was the one who was kidnapped in November 2014. He demanded that Mr Handigund should be dismissed immediately for not filing a police complaint immediately after the incident.
Based on its information, the party filed a complaint with the Special Investigation Team probing the Lokayukta extortion racket on July 20, 2015. The party stated in the complaint that a gang asked Mr Handigund to come to the official residence of the Lokayukta on Crescent Road. When he went near the residence, the gang kidnapped him and released him only after he paid Rs 10 lakh ransom.
“There has been no response from the SIT on the complaint for the last six months. On February 10, we received a letter from the SIT, confirming that the Tahsildar was abducted. The letter states that Mr Handigund was kidnapped by Ashok Kumar, who is already arrested by the SIT, and his associates Anand and Ashok on November 19, 2014.
The SIT has also informed it has written to the Bengaluru police commissioner. Mr Handigund has filed a complaint with the High Grounds police on February 6,” Mr. Reddy said.
Based on this reply, the AAP has got the copy of the FIR registered by the High Grounds police. The FIR states that the abductors, who kidnapped Mr Handigund, threatened him at gunpoint and demanded the ransom. “Within a few hours, revenue inspector B.A. Srinivas, who is subordinate officer to Mr. Handigund, arranged Rs 2 lakh and gave it to the abductors, who released Mr Handigund,” Mr. Reddy added.
Mr Reddy questioned why Mr Handigund did not file a complaint for 14 months after the incident occurred, and how Mr Srinivas could arrange Rs 2 lakh in just 2-3 hours?
“Mr Handigund should be dismissed on the grounds of conduct unbecoming an officer and a thorough probe has to be initiated. Had Mr Handigund filed a case when the incident took place, the Lokayukta extortion scam could have been exposed then itself. Also, six cases registered against the Tahsildar with the Lokayukta police have been closed without proper reason.
“The entire episode hints that there is something more to it. Only a fair and impartial probe could clear all doubts,” Mr Reddy said. He also said that the accused in the kidnap case, Kumaraswamy, has died under mysterious circumstances and even this needs to be probed. “It is said that Kumaraswamy was earlier working with a politician,” he added.
