Bengaluru: Hassan district police have arrested six people, including a police inspector with the Internal Security Division (ISD), Ashok, for alleged attempt to murder a contractor, Ashwatha, who is also a closeaide of former minister and JD(S) MLA, HD Revanna.
Police suspect that Ashok, who was with Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Bengaluru, had been involved in several other crimes.
A senior police officer, investigating the case, alleged that Ashok was the mastermind behind the attack on Ashwatha.
“This is not the first crime that Ashok has been involved in. He has protected many who have committed murder, dacoity and extortion. He fixes a certain price and after gets the amount, he shelters these criminals,” an officer privy to the case told DH.
Police launched a search operation for the gang after Ashwatha lodged a complainat the Channarayapatna police station on October 10, alleging that he was attacked by an unidentified gang near Sooranahalli, when he was heading to Channarayapatna from Holenarasipura. He had escaped, but the gang tailed him till Moodalahippe. He reached Channarayapatna and filed the complaint.
Another well-placed senior officer told DH that while Ashok was in the CCB, he was neither a very famed officer nor was a bad one.
“Not many knew about him. We have a system in place where we review our officers. We have an internal assessment technique, which brings such elements into light, but sometimes officers cleverly operate and go out of radar,” the officer said.
Modus operandi
A reliable source in the police told DH that Ashok was sub-inspector with the forest cell, working in connivance with gangsters, Bombay Ravi and Kariya Rajesh.
“In an attempt-to-murder case involving Kariya Rajesh and Bombay Ravi, Ashok would source information from the investigating officers and tip them off. He was also a close aide of Siddapura Johnny, a pimp, and BDA Ravi, another gangster and drug lord. Ashok was involved in changing the sections of a case, which involved Ravi being caught with drugs that fell into the ‘commercial quantity’ bracket,” said an officer.
Ashok has about 16 to 18 years in service.
Another officer, in the know of things, said, “In the next few days, we will be scrutinising Ashok’s mobile phones, paramours, and questioning all his friends and acquaintances to understand the extent of his network. It is too early to conclude anything.”
(Published 25 October 2023, 23:45 IST)