Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (EP)

Bangalore, Jul 14: The state government has decided to form a special investigation team (SIT) to tackle underworld criminals who have been making threat calls to businessmen especially in the coastal region and demanding huge sums of hafta (protection money).

Home minister K J George on Monday July 14 said that the government is seriously looking into cases where notorious criminals of state origin based abroad have demanded ransom through phone calls to businessmen in coastal and malnad regions. He said that a SIT will be formed to identify such notorious criminals and arrest them.

Speaking to reporters after holding discussions in Vidhana Soudha with senior police officials, ministers of coastal and malnad regions and MLAs with regard to underworld criminals who operate from foreign countries, George said that he has asked the police officials to identify the hideouts of the criminals, arrest them and destroy their networks.

The minister said that complaints of extortion and threat calls to ministers and MLAs by underworld dons Bannanje Raja, Ravi Poojary, Vikky Shetty, Kali Yogish and other criminals have increased. "Arecanuts are fetching good price in the market and farmers also are receiving extortion calls. The matter will also be discussed with the union home minister," he said.

The meeting discussed about obtaining the assistance of the intelligence wing of the union government and the Interpol with a hope to defeat criminals.

He said that businessmen should inform the police about threat calls received by them. They need not be scared as the names of the informants will be kept confidential, he said.

The issue regarding calls being received by arecanut farmers and businessmen demanding money was also discussed in the legislative assembly and some members expressed their anxiety. K J George said that he himself had received threat calls from the underworld, and assured fool proof action to tackle the criminals.

Minister Ramanath Rai, U T Khadar, Abhayachandra Jain, MLA Shakuntala Shetty, director general of police (DGP) Lalrokhuma Pachuau, additional director general of police (ADGP) Alok Mohan, city police commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar and several senior police officers including officials of the intelligence wing participated in the meeting.