Alleged ‘nexus’ between police and slain gangster Nayeemuddin alias Nayeem came under sharp focus once again as his photos with police officers came to fore on Thursday.
Authenticity, precise time as to when the photos were taken and their source are not yet known but Telugu TV news channels had telecast stories showing them repeatedly. Unconfirmed reports of police officers being hand in glove with Nayeem had been doing the rounds following his killing on August 8, 2016 and subsequent raids on his house in Narsingi of Hyderabad.
Photos showing the gangster with some police officers began circulating through journalist WhatsApp groups and social media from morning. Within hours, TV news channels aired stories based on them.
In one photo, a police officer of the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police and Inspector were seen having food with the gangster. The ASP (presently working in Counter Intelligence) was an Inspector and the Inspector was Sub-Inspector when the photo was clicked, a police officer unwilling to be named said.
It is said the photo was taken when the two police officers went to attend a family function of Nayeem held on city outskirts. In another photo, an SI was seen standing before a Ganesh idol with folded hands while Nayeem stood beside him. The SI has become DSP now and working in a district. Another picture that was being circulated was that of an inspector presently working with Hyderabad traffic police. He and Nayeem hailed from Bhongir and surrounding areas. They studied in the same degree college. In the fourth photo, the gangster is seen with another police officer -also of ASP rank who is working with the Crime Investigation Department. To what extent, these police officers were associated with the gangster is yet to be ascertained.
Additional DGP and in-charge of Special Investigation Team probing Nayeem-related cases, Anjani Kumar told The Hindu that whatever was being written or shown was being investigated into. “We have not closed any case. Out of 193 cases being investigated, chargesheets were already filed in four. Based on merit of evidence, everything will be evaluated,” he said.