More than a month after Karnataka IPS officer Anupama Shenoy resigned from her position as the Deputy SP of Kudlgi sub-division, Prema Sridevi of Times Now has accessed telephonic conversations between the former officer and her superiors, which allegedly expose how Shenoy was shunted out of her post at the whims of a minister who bullied her.
Speaking to Times Now in Delhi, Shenoy said, “I am a victim of this system and politics. The politics in Karnataka is very bad. I am a victim of the system and corrupt politics.” She has been camping in capital for several days now, exhorting the centre to hear her voice.
In the purported recorded audio conversations given to Times Now by Shenoy, she is reportedly heard speaking to District and Labour Minister Parameshwar Naik and her superiors in the police department.
Anupama says that the first call she got was from the Minister’s office, at 6pm on January 18, in which a man claiming to represent the minister tells her, “Madam, the district minister wants to speak to you.” A voice in the background says, “Hello, where are you, which side are you at now? Wait there, I'll be there. Wait on that side, my vehicle.” This goes on for 30 seconds, and since she was at a crime scene, she said she hung up.
At 6:22pm, the minister allegedly calls her. Here is the transcript, transcribed from Times Now’s report. Times Now or The News Minute cannot verify the authenticity of the conversations.
“Alleged voice of minister: Don't you have the patience to hold the District Minister's call
Anupama Shenoy: SP was calling me for something important
Alleged voice of minister: Can't you tell the SP that the minister is calling
Anupama Shenoy: No, I can't say that
Alleged voice of minister: What are you saying
Anupama Shenoy: Please talk to me with respect, alright?
Alleged voice of minister: What are you saying?”
Anupama hangs up.
By now, things seem to have escalated. In an hour or so, Shenoy reportedly was told by the control room to call Bellary IGP, Murugan, so she calls him, she says.
Here’s is the purported conversation between them.
"Alleged voice of senior police officer: Hello. Look, just call the District Minister and talk to him. He has been calling me continuously
Anupama Shenoy: Okay sir
Alleged voice of senior police officer: You talk to him. You just call him and give him an explanation that you were handling a busy case. Tell him that you were in a hurry. Also, brief him about the case. Did you understand?
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir
Alleged voice of senior police officer: Because he will unneccesarily call me. And if you don't call him, this will become an issue. Just tell him that you were busy with some work and you were tense
Anupama Shenoy: Okay sir
Alleged voice of senior police officer: Tell him, that I got a case and I was filing an FIR and investigating
Anupama Shenoy: Sure sir. Okay
Alleged voice of senior police officer: You don't lose your cool. Do you understand? Even if he shouts, you listen to him and reply in a dignified manner
Anupama Shenoy: Sure sir
Alleged voice of senior police officer: That's all. That's how you handle such people. We should never lose our cool and calm
Anupama Shenoy: Ok sir
Alleged voice of senior police officer: Alright? You talk to him and get back to me
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir"
However, Anupama stood her ground. She did not call the Minister since she felt she was right, she says. Next day, she says that the DGP called her.
"Anupama Shenoy: Hello Sir, I'm Anupama speaking, Kudligi Deputy SP
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Which batch are you from?
Anupama Shenoy: 2012, Sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: 2012 batch. This is your first sub-division, isn't it?
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: How much time have you completed?
Anupama Shenoy: One and a half year, sir. One year and four months, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Your family. Where do they stay?
Anupama Shenoy: Sir, I'm unmarried. My parents stay in Udupi, Sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Okay. So do you have any problem going anywhere else?
Anupama Shenoy: No, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: No problem, right?
Anupama Shenoy: No, sir. Which place?
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Let me tell you there are some vacancies already.
Anupama Shenoy: Alright, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Do you have any choice? Options are very less.
Anupama Shenoy: Sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: This Athani sub-division is vacant.
Anupama Shenoy: Sir, Athani? Okay sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: The one in Aland is vacant.Udipi is vacant, but you cannot go to Udupi.
Anupama Shenoy: Sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Because you are from Udupi, you cannot go to Udupi. That is a problem. At Vijayapura, is there someone you know?
Anupama Shenoy: No
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: And this IG office, Bellari has a vacancy and IG office, Mangalore also has one vacancy. And I don't want you to go to (non-executive duty).
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Because you are young and you just finished one.
Anupama Shenoy: year..
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: You should work in Indi. This, one is there. That fellow is retiring by the 31st of January. And that's all I believe
Anupama Shenoy: Sir, is this a punishment transfer sir?
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: This is not a punishment transfer. This is a reward transfer
Anupama Shenoy: So, I'm getting a transfer?
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: You are getting a reward transfer, not a punishment transfer. That is why we are asking you for your choice. If it was a punishment transfer, we would have not asked you for your choice
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir. Yes, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: I hope you understand
Anupama Shenoy: Yes sir, I understand. But is there any pressure sir, regarding my removal?
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: You forget about all of that. You have to tell me. Athani, Aland, Indi - all of them are in North Karnataka. That is the thing you have to tell me. Otherwise, CID is there, IG office in Bellari is there, IG office in Mangalore is there. Can you call back in few minutes. Call in five minutes?
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir
Alleged voice of senior-most police officer: Five to ten minutes?
Anupama Shenoy: Yes, sir"
She was thus transferred.
She also made other allegations against the Minister and the Karnataka government. “I feel that the exchequer in Karnataka is dependent on the liquor lobby. My fight was against this liquor lobby,” she told Times Now, and adds, “In January 2016, there was intelligence input that there were kickbacks given to the minister ZP and TP elections. I was removed because of it. I was after illegal liquor sale in the area.”