Mangalore: Police Informer says Inspector Tortured him for Not Collecting Hafta

Pic: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Nov 30: Muneer Ahmed, a resident of Bunder area revealed that he had been an informer to Bunder police inspector Vinay Gaonkar for 14 months and was collecting hafta in various ways such as from cattle transporters, scrap merchants, from those adulterating petrol and diesel, and ganja peddlers. He had handed over Rs 38 lac in total to Gaonkar, he said.

However, after he stopped collecting hafta, the inspector threatened him of an encounter, Muneer alleged while speaking to reporters at press meet here on Wednesday November 30.

Inspector Vinay Gaonkar who came in contact with him also gave him a Airtel Sim card and told him to inform him about any untoward incidents using the number. "Initially I did not relent, but inspector threatened to filed criminal cases against me, so I had to give in to his demands," Muneer said.

"Later, the inspector developed a habit of collecting money from culprits and instructed me to go for the hafta collection. Every night, either Gaonkar himself or his staff Rajesh, Jayanth and writer Balakrishna used to visit my house to collect the money," he alleged.

Muneer added that despite helping out Gaonkar, the inspector never helped him when he faced problems in his family.

Disheartened with this attitude of Gaonkar, Muneer contacted ACP Raveendra Gadadi. Gadadi told Muneer to pass on any information to him of any illegal activities in the locality. With this, the accused were arrested in several cases. Gaonkar used to get hafta from three places where Gadadi conducted raid operations, he said.
 
"Annoyed with this, Gaonkar, when Gadadi was not in town, sent his staff to my house and took me to police station. He forced me to give statements against Gadadi. After much physical torture I had to finally give statements which was audio and video taped," Muneer detailed.
 
After this incident, Muneer and his family left to Bangalore in pursuit of justice, Muneer started getting threat calls from a number. A week later Gaonkar himself called Muneer and offered him Rs 2 lac as settlement amount. "Gaonkar told me that my family and I would be in trouble if I did not accept his offer, and that no one could transfer him from Bunder police station," Muneer said, appealing for protection from Gaonkar and his staff.
 
Muneer’s wife Shafinabanu said that she had attempted suicide by jumping into a well, annoyed by police torture to her husband and her family.
 
Muneer also said that he had made a writ petition in court and the court ordered the DG to investigate the case. "Investigations are on. Also, a complaint has been lodged with the home minister, the Lokayukta and the Human Rights Commission, Muneer said.

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