Were outsiders involved in the arson and damaging of property during the recent communal clashes in Rajendranagar?
Families whose houses were set ablaze by attackers in Arsh Mahal area of Kis-hanbagh firmly believe so.
“The attackers barged into our houses, ensured that the LPG was released by turning on the gas stoves and then lighted matchsti-cks,” some victims claimed. They suspect that persons repeatedly involved in communal offences could be behind this.
Eight houses were burnt by the attackers. Families living in at least three of them recalled that they first smelt the LPG leak. It was soon followed by smoke and a huge ball of fire. Two families were rescued by the police, while another managed to escape by breaking open the rear door.
To substantiate the theory of outsider involvement in the clashes, they point out that trouble began at 8 a.m., nearly two hours after the religious flag was found burnt. They have been demanding that the special investigation team probe this angle too.
Investigators have ruled out burning of the flag as an ‘accident’. Based on forensic evidence and material gathered from the spot, they surmise that some persons had deliberately set the flag afire to keep the communal cauldron boiling.
The fate of probes
Until proven guilty, persons facing criminal charges possess legal provisions to seek intervention of the court.
Two cases being handled by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) throw up questions on the fate of investigation as the accused have moved courts. One was the sensational Titanium case involving Congress Rajya Sabha member K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao against whom a red corner notice was issued by Interpol.
A US Federal Jury had indicted Mr. Rao and others of bribing State and Central Government officials in India to allow an American firm to mine titanium minerals in Andhra Pradesh. As per procedure, the CBI passed on the red corner notice to the CID a few weeks ago. Interestingly, the CID officials maintained that the notice was not accompanied with an arrest warrant.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rao secured an order from the High Court directing the CID not to proceed further. Similar is decade-old Jubilee Hills Co-operative Housing Society fraud case. While the CID took years to collect evidence, some persons moved the High Court nearly a year ago and secured an order staying the investigation.
Why the investigators fail to get stay orders vacated if there was prima facie evidence in criminal cases is a question nobody wants to answer.
