Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi
Udupi, Apr 20: In the wake of audio recording being circulated in WhatsApp and other social media in connection to the recent suspension of Malpe constable, Chikkamagaluru SP Annamalai has issued clarification to the media that the voice in the audio is not his, as claimed by some, but that of a former policeman.
The audio had first emerged earlier this month when Malpe constable Prakash was suspended for allegedly assaulting Kumar, a tractor driver in Pramod Madhwaraj's company for allegedly eve-teasing Prakash's wife. The matter had snowballed into a controversy, with BJP staging protests and Madhwaraj denying his involvement in the constable's suspension. The suspension order was later revoked.
In a statement to the media, SP Annamalai said, "Recently, an audio clipping of 13.45 minutes duration in which a disgruntled policeman of Malpe police station, Udupi district, is found to be in a conversation with an unknown person, is widely being circulated mostly in WhatsApp and other social media applications. For some unknown reasons, one of the voice in this audioe is being attributed to me.
"It is found that some miscreants are trying to highlight that SP Annamalai has abused some politician and a senior police officer of Udupi district in the said audio clipping. This audio clipping has gained traction and is becoming viral.
"After careful analysis of the said audio clipping, it is found that the 13.45 minutes audio is a telephonic conversation between an Udupi district police constable, who is currently in service, and Shashidhar Venugopal, a former policeman, who runs an unauthorised police sangha. The said audio clipping has also been uploaded by Shashidhar Venugopal in his Facebook profile using Sound Cloud application on April 8 at 2.31 pm," Annamalai said.
The link to the uploaded audio clipping is (as given by SP Annamalai in press note): https://soundcloud.com/shashidhar-v-535238784/udupi-police?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=facebook
Annamalai further added, "In this regard, I have also spoken with Udupi police constable who is allegedly in this conversation and he also confirmed that the audio clip in question is a telephonic conversation between him and Shashidhar Venugopal.
"In the past, when I worked in Udupi district as superintendent of police, the current district minister Pramod Madhwaraj along with other political leaders had provided their full support to carry out my duties without any hindrances. I hold them all of them in very high esteem and I continue to maintain the same cordial relationship with them irrespective of party affiliations.
"I am herewith clarifying that the voice in the audio is not mine and I request all to immediately stop sharing/circulating this audio clipping in WhatsApp or any other social media platforms. Legal action will be initiated if any person is found to be sharing/circulating this audio clipping with the intention to misuse my name," Annamalai warned.