A senior police officer from Bengaluru has landed in a soup after his senior IPS officer alleged that the former leaked a telephonic conversation of the officer to the media.
KSR Charan Reddy, who is now the chief of Special Investigation Team (SIT), served as ACP (West) until December last, has alleged that DCP Ajay Hilory leaked a telephonic conversation between him and a Kannada activist.
Charan Reddy reportedly approached the Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms (DPAR) and the Director General and Inspector General (DG&IGP) R K Dutta with his allegation. In the audio that was allegedly leaked to the media, ACP Charan was in conversation with Kannada Rakshana Vedike Chief, Narayana Gowda, about the release of a few Vedike activists who were in police custody.
The alleged incident in question happened in September last year, during the time of the Cauvery agitation in the state. The month of September was when Karnataka saw several violent agitations after the SC ordered the state to release Cauvery water to its neighbouring state Tamil Nadu. In Bengaluru too, sporadic violence was reported, with protesters torching TN registered vehicles and damaging business outlets owned by Tamilians.
Pro-Kannada activists had called for a state-wide bandh on September 9 to protest against the SC order on the water release. On the same day, the West police took Kannada Prakash, a member of Kannada Rakshana Vedika, into preventive custody. Along with Prakash, the Byatarayanapura police detained 12 other members, as per the instructions of DCP Ajay Hilory.
However, according to a TNIE report, ACP Charan instructed the Byatarayanapura police to release the detainees, following which the instruction was conveyed to DCP Ajay.
Soon after Prakash was released, he went underground and violence broke out in the area two days later.
What is the audio about?
According to reports, the alleged leaked audio of the telephonic conversation took place between the ACP and KRV chief Narayana Gowda. Speaking about Kannada Prakash's arrest, Gowda reportedly assured the senior officer that they would only demonstrate peacefully and would not resort to violence.
During the time the agitation was going on, the police were reportedly tapping the calls of several Kannada activists.
The same month, a media report is said to have claimed that they have received an audio of a conversation between ACP Charan and Gowda. Following this, the ACP raised a complaint against DCP Ajay. Although reports say that an internal inquiry was ordered in March this year, the team failed to submit any report on the matter.
Inquiry
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Praveen Sood said that an internal inquiry on the matter is on its final stage.
“A fact-finding inquiry is in the final stages and a report will be submitted to the DG & IGP soon,” the Commissioner was quoted as saying by The Hindu.
Senior BJP member and opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar reportedly raised the issue in the assembly session on Wednesday.
Shettar said, "Government must clarify on the phone tapping incident. It is a very serious issue."
Despite repeated attempts, DCP Ajay was not available for comment.