Bengaluru: Fugitive rowdy-sheeter Bomb Naga, who has been on the run since April 14 when the police raided his house and seized cash to the tune of Rs. 14.80 crores, hidden away in walls and secret compartments, claims that the old currency belongs to a mystery man named Manjunath, who he claimed was Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Special PA, as well as several top-ranking IPS officers who took part in the raid on his house.
In a video CD, sent to all media houses through his advocate, Naga, and speaking from an undisclosed location, Karnataka's most hunted man alleged that the motive behind the police raid on his house in Srirampuram was to eliminate him under the guise of a police encounter.
“It was a well planned raid by the police. They wanted to throw a gun inside my house, through the gate and had planned to gun me down claiming they shot me as I attacked them. Luckily, I was not in the house when the police raided, otherwise I would have been dead by now,” he alleges.
On the cash seized from his house, Naga claims that the scrapped currency was kept in the house by the police. “The cash seized in my house does not belong to me nor I was involved in conversion of black money into white. The police wanted to fix me in the case and eliminate me, and their act is politically motivated,” he accused. Further, he said that a Special PA to the chief minister, Manjunath and four IPS officers were pressuring him to get their black money converted.
Bomb Naga’s house in Srirampura, where Rs 14 crore in scrapped currency was found. (Photo: KPN)
“Manjunath has looted thousands of crores of money. He has approached me several times to get the money converted into white. But I always turned down his request. He used to threaten me that the money belonged to IPS officers but I told him, clearly, that I could not do it. Also, four IPS officers - two police commissioners and two DCPs - had also approached me for the same purpose but I refused to help them,” he said.
Special PA Manjunath had brokers – Kishore, a car dealer in Sadashivanagar, Madhu, the advocate who was caught by the Vidhana Soudha police while carrying unaccounted cash of Rs 2 crore, Umesh, his brother Naveen – and that he operated through them.
"These agents had called me in March and had told me that they are bringing cash. They had requested me to turn off the CCTV cameras at my home. They had come with a senior police officer on March 17 and I have video evidence for that. I will release it if required and when the time comes," Naga said.
On the complaint registered against him by Umesh in Hennur police station, based on which the raid was conducted, Naga said, "Umesh was also arrested by the CCB police when he was trying to exchange cash. He has filed a kidnap and extortion case against me in Hennur police station. I challenge the police to prove the charges against me," he added.
He also attacked KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundurao and BJP MP P. C. Mohan, accusing them of pressurising the police to open rowdy sheet against him. "Eight times they opened rowdy sheet against me. This is out of the fear that I would win elections against them.
I had lost by just 500 votes against Dinesh Gundurao in the previous assembly elections from Gandhinagar. This is why they are trying to frame me," he alleged, seeking a CBI probe into the case.
Home Minister seeks information
Following Naga's allegations, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar spoke to city police commissioner and sought information about the developments. Speaking to reporters, he said that they will look into allegations. "First we have to arrest Naga and question him. If they is involvement of any officials, we will initiate strict action against them," he added.
Gundurao: Never heard of ‘Manjunath’
Reacting to the allegations made by Bomb Naga, Congress leaders Dinesh Gundurao and P. C. Mohan termed the accusations as baseless. While Mr. Gundurao said “let the police investigate”, Mr. Mohan said Naga was just trying to divert the attention of the people to save his face. Congress party sources said that there was nobody named Manjunath, who worked as the CM’s Special PA, as claimed by Naga.
