: Taking advantage of the ‘long time’ being taken by investigators to gather evidence, politicians named in the cases involving slain gangster Nayeemuddin and his associates are persuading the complainants to withdraw the cases.
Links and association of Nayeem with leaders of different political parties from Nalgonda district are open secrets. A few weeks before his death in an exchange of fire with the police, the gangster told a real estate agent that he had high regard for the family of a slain politician. He threatened the agent to settle whatever property disputes the latter had with that politician’s family. He was equally close with leaders of other political parties from Bhongir. Though police couldn’t take up investigation against all such leaders, names of three politicians figured in FIRs issued by Nalgonda police. Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials so far arrested over 70 persons on charge of aiding Nayeem or executing plots hatched by him. Interestingly, the statement of even a single politician — whose name cropped up in complaints — was not recorded so far, let alone arresting them.
“Whatever be the reasons behind the delay in ascertaining roles of politicians, it has given an opportunity to them to broker a compromise with the complainants and escape the cases,” a businessman from Bhongir says. A politician, whose name figured in two First Information Reports, had reportedly offered Rs. 1 lakh to a complainant requesting him to take back the complaint.
Another public representative, who was accused of mediating between a businessman and Nayeem when the latter demanded Rs. 2 crore protection money, was also reportedly pursuing the same path to escape penal action. “While drivers and watchmen who worked with Nayeem or his associates were being arrested and sent to jail, why not the same action is not being initiated against politicians ?” ask traders from Bhongir. They maintain the delay in action is helping the politicians cover up their complicity.
Speculation
A photo of a MLA from Nalgonda district taken with Nayeem, which landed in the hands of police once again triggered speculation over links of politicians with him. This legislator reportedly got introduced to Nayeem through the latter’s relative Faheem. Both the legislator and Faheem had common friends. Through Faheem, the legislator developed relations with Nayeem and had met him on different occasions.
