Bangalore: Atul in Police Custody; yet to be formally arrested
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)
Bangalore, Jun 18: Sleuths belonging to the Udupi District Crime Intelligence Bureau have taken custody of Atul Rao relating to the death of Padmapriya's under suspicious circumstances. They have been interrogating him.
The Delhi police, who had taken Atul Rao in their possession after the reported suicide of Padmapriya, handed over Atul to their Karnataka state counterpart on Monday night. Atul was brought by the Udupi policemen by air to Bangalore. He has since been brought to Udupi, where investigations are on. However, the police are tightlipped over the place where he has been held.
The police have clarified that Atul has not been arrested. They are examining the specific legal provisions under which he should be arrested. He has been lodged in an undisclosed place for the sake of his security, they claim. The family has been kept abreast of this information, the police have informed. State Director General of Police K R Srinivasan too has confirmed that Atul is safe.
In the meanwhile, Atul's wife Meera has filed a habeas corpus application in the high court, naming the Udupi police inspector, home department secretary and the district superintendent of police as defendants. She has said in the applications, that Atul, who has gone missing since June 14, has not yet been produced before any court.
It has come to light, that the name of Atul Rao finds a place in the case against Joseph Chacko, who has been charged with duping non-resident Indians(NRI).Atul Rao, who was instrumental in bringing together several NRIs as a representative of some members of Crown Plaza Owners Association, had filed a case against Chacko at Hennur police station. It is said, Atul later negotiated with several NRIs and struck a compromise with them to withdraw their complaints. Two of the NRIs have, through an application made to the state High Court, contradicted Atul's claim that they had issued power of attorney in his favour. The case is in the highcourt as of now.
Menawhile, Karnataka State Human Rights Commission has asked the state government to file a report relating to Padmapriya's murder. Home Minister V S Acharya has informed the journalists who met him, that the investigation into Padmapriya's death will be conducted with due diligence, without resorting to any cover up. The guilty if any in the case, will face punishment, he reiterated.
Latest News: It is gathered, that the Udupi police have taken Atul Rao to Bangalore on Tuesday evening for being produced in High Court where a habeas corpus petition has been filed by Atul's wife.
In the meantime, it is learnt that a team comprising of Dakshina Kannada District Crime Intelligence Bureau(DCIB) inspector Jayant Shetty, Udupi district DCIB inspector Srinivas Raju and Bangalore City Crime Intelligence Bureau assistant commissioner of police Jitendranath, which has collected all the relevant papers of the case including the ones furnished by the Delhi police, will start official investigation into the death of Padmapriya at Udupi from today.
Padmapriya Death: Complete Coverage