Slain SI's father blames Govt. for impasse

By S.Bharath Kumar

MYSORE, SEPT. 3. He is the personification of commitment. Unmindful of his tough legal battle against the State Government, Mr. Abdul Karim, father of the slain police inspector, Shakeel Ahmed, who was killed by the forest brigand, Veerappan, in 1992, is determined not to allow the Government to concede Veerappan's demand to release TADA detenus.

No amount of persuasion nor request could move this frail old man. He has shown that the Judiciary's existence cannot be overlooked by the Executive. Although aware that he is swimming against the tide, Mr. Karim is set to fight till the end. Contradicting the common perception that his action has come in the way of securing release of Kannada film star, Mr. Rajkumar, Mr. Karim says: "My actions are not targeted against the release of Mr. Rajkumar and three others held hostage by Veerappan, but against the unethical stand and decisions taken by the State government, bowing to the diktat of the outlaw. I am one among those who are praying for the safe and early release of the four hostages."

His action in taking the matter to court has focussed public attention on the "blatant mistake" committed by the State Government, which did not view the issue with the right perspective. Why blame Mr. Karim for prolonging the issue when the Government's lack of preparedness in ensuring that the sureties were obtained for the 51 detenus, who were granted bail by the Principal and Sessions Court, Mysore?, ask many.

A senior advocate lamented at the Government not having read the situation correctly. When it was known that conditional bail would be granted, the administrative machinery should have swung into action to ensure the release of these 51 detenus on bail on August 28, he said.

The observations made by the three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court on the State's presentation of the case on the SLP filed by Mr. Karim showed the absence of a cohesive approach coupled with inept handling of the situation by the Government, said a veteran Supreme Court lawyer. The Supreme Court's observation of not considering the expected break down in the law and order situation in the State if bail was not granted and that the Government's failure to contain the outlaw all these years could not be construed as the reason to grant bail, smacked of the administrative machinery's lackadaisical approach to the issue.

Although the latest developments have evoked mixed reaction among the public, a majority of the people supported the Supreme Court's judgment. Mr. Karim, who is facing financial constraints in continuing his legal battle, is unrelenting.

Mr. Karim's argument stems from the fact that if the efforts of policemen against anti-social elements, particularly Veerappan, will become futile, if the bandit's demand is conceded.

G>This will amount to the Government showing scant regard to those who laid down their lives for the cause of the people. Not in any mood to compromise on this issue, Mr. Karim is determined to secure justice, although delayed, with no personal gains in return.

This has exposed the Government, which failed to act in time.G> The Government is now caught between the devil and the deep sea and its decisions are bound to affect the release of Mr. Rajkumar and three other hostages.

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