Date:01/12/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/12/01/stories/2003120104710500.htm

Southern States - Karnataka

Abdul Kareem gives four days to Krishna to settle claim

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE Nov. 30. Abdul Kareem, retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, today threatened to go on indefinite fast in front of the Vidhana Soudha if the expenditure incurred by him on the litigation with the State Government on the release of Veerappan's associates was not reimbursed in four days.

The 79-year old chronic bronchitis patient told presspersons here on Sunday that he had to resort to fast as the Government was callous on reimbursing Rs. 5.5 lakh that he spent on moving the Supreme Court after the Government decided to release TADA detenus during the Rajkumar abduction crisis.

"There will be no grace period. I will begin the hunger strike soon after the four-day deadline," said Mr. Kareem. The anguished family members of Mr. Kareem have expressed concern over his survival in the "harsh and hostile winter" of Bangalore. "Should anything happen to my father, God forbid, the Government should be held responsible," said Jameel Ahmed, Mr. Kareem's elder son. Meanwhile, Mr. Kareem said he was forced to sell his personal properties in Mysore and in his native place, Shimoga, to bear the cost of litigation. Mr. Kareem, father of the slain Sub-Inspector of Police, Shakeel Ahmed, had moved the Supreme Court against the State Government's decision to release TADA detenus.

He served a legal notice to the State Government in 2000 soon after the Supreme Court stayed the release of TADA detenus. "But Chief Minister, Mr. S.M. Krishna, has been dodging payment," he said. He also cited High Court orders entitling litigants to full compensation by the Government if he or she was forced to move the court because of the Government's follies.

Claiming that Mr. Krishna, in a telephonic chat with him at Suttur Math during the height of H. Nagappa's abduction crisis, had promised to settle the reimbursement amount at the earliest in return for his (Kareem's) co-operation during the crisis, Mr. Kareem accused the Chief Minister of going back on his promise.

Mr. Kareem said he would cite as witnesses Shivarathri Desikendra Swamiji of Suttur Math, the Gundlupet MLA, H.S. Mahadev Prasad, and the retired Director-General of Police (Prisons), L. Revanasiddaiah.