The Hindu : `Nagappa case is being hushed up'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

`Nagappa case is being hushed up'

By Our Staff Correspondent

Mysore May 25. The Gundlupet MLA and leader of the All-India Janata Dal (AIJD), H.S.Mahadevprasad, on Sunday alleged that the State Government was trying to hush up the circumstances leading to the murder of the former minister, H.Nagappa, and demanded a CBI inquiry into it.

Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Mahadevprasad referred to the reports of the STF and ballistic experts and said that there were many contradictions in them and sought an explanation from the authorities.

He alleged that the ballistic experts worked on the premise that Nagappa was not killed in an encounter and went about to prove their assumption by pointing out that no encounter had taken place at the spot where the body of the former minister was found. However, the report also stated that the bullet was fired from a third AK-47 rifle whereas the STF always claimed that Veerappan had only two AK-47 rifles which he had seized from the police officers, Harikrishna and Shakeel Ahmed, in 1990. "So, who does this third AK-47 belong to?"

Referring to the third AK-47 rifle as stated by ballistic experts, Mr. Mahadevprasad said then the question arose as to who fired it. Therefore, there should be a CBI probe, he said.

Mr. Mahadevprasad said that the chargesheet prepared by the STF created an impression that the brigand abducted Nagappa with an intention to kill him. But it remained vague on mentioning the identity of Nagappa's killers, he said and added that "nowhere has the STF mentioned that the accused cited in the chargesheet were responsible for Nagappa's death. This will not facilitate in establishing the guilt."

He also drew attention to the list of 24 persons mentioned by the STF in the Nagappa case. However, the STF had arrested only 14 of the accused and was silent on the remaining members of the gang, barring Veerappan and Sethukuli Govindan. So, who were the other members of the gang and how did they figure in the chargesheet when the STF did not know anything about them, Mr. Mahadevprasad asked.

He termed the disappearance of the "Veerappan tapes" as a mystery and said that when the brigand had sent the cassettes directly to the Chief Minister and the Home Minister's office there was no need to have them returned to the STF camp. There were many questions that needed to be answered, he said while reiterating his demand for a CBI inquiry.

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