The Telangana State Police headed by the Director General of police Anurag Sharma, has suspended five police officers for having links with Maoist-turned gangster Mohammed Nayeemuddin.

Mohammed Nayeemuddin was a renegade Naxalite, gangster and extortionist. He was a former member of People’s War Group (PWG). He was accused in the murder of IPS officer and Greyhounds founder K.S. Vyas in 1993. He I s also involved in 14 murders.

Nayeem was killed in a police encounter in Mahbubnagar last year on August 8, 2016. The decision was taken based on the inquiry findings of a committee by Inspector General of Police, Nagi Reddy, who headed the Special Investigation Team. Nagi Reddy who was appointed to investigate the case, submitted a report that concluded the links the officers had with Nayeem, his gang members and his activities. This is the first time the police department has admitted of having such officers.

The suspended officers received direct benefits from Nayeem in various forms during their service in the areas in which he operated, says reports.

The five officers who are suspended are - Crime Investigation Department (CID) Additional Superintendent of police Maddipati Srinivas Rao; Detective Department Assistant Commissioner of police Chintamaneni Srinivas; Assistant Commissioner of police (Mirchowk) Malineni Srinivas Rao, Inspector Traffic Masthan presently working in Sangareddy district, Inspector Rajagopal presently working in Kothagudem.

In the past, few photographs were released in public in which few of these five officers were seen in the company to Nayeem. The suspension order was supposed to be given on Thursday by DGP but it was deferred by a day due to clerical corrections.

DGP Anurag Sharma who issued the suspension orders yesterday, also ordered an oral inquiry of four other officers - DSP Y Sai Manohar, DSP S Prakash Rao, DSP Venkat Narasaiah, Inspector P Venkaiah and ordered that departmental action to be taken against 16 other officers, who were found to be associated with Nayeem.

The 16 other officers are Additional SP Amarender Reddy, Additional SP Chandrashekar, DSP Tirupathanna; Inspectors namely Srinivas Naidu, Kishan, Srinivas Rao, Venkat Reddy, Majeed, Surya Prakash, Ravi Kiran Reddy, Balwantaiah, Narender Goud, Ravinder, head constables, Dinesh Anand, Mohammed Miya and constable Balaiah. These officers are said to have worked closely with him when he operated in the then Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar and Rangareddy districts in Telangana.

The inquiry revealed that around 25 officers had links with Nayeem and were involved in various activities with him, said the DGP.

According to the investigation probe, the benefits were monetary as well as in the form of settling land disputes and civil issues, and they had also purchased land in huge quantities. In the late 1980s, Nayeem was attracted to Naxal ideology. He was arrested at the age of 19 years as a tapancha and a grenade were procured from the gangster. Nayeem, after his release joined the PWG Alair dalam. He was arrested by 1993 and expelled from the PWG for indulging in extortion and settlements. Later, he formed gangs to extort and murder people.

Timeline

- Aug. 8 2016: Nayeem killed in an encounter in Shadnagar

- Aug. 10: Special Investigation team formed to probe cases related to Nayeem

- Aug. 13: ACP Kukatpally N. Bhujanga Rao appointed investigating officer

- Aug. 19: IG Y. Nagi Reddy appointed chief of SIT

- Sept. 12: Additional DG Anjani Kumar to monitor investigation

Tally so far

- 205: Number of cases registered by Special Investigation Team on Nayeem

- 127 persons arrested

- 25 charge sheets file

- 14 detained under PD Act

SUPRAJA