Daijiworld Media Network – Dharwad (SP)

Dharwad, Jun 28: Addressing a press conference here on Sunday June 27, Kalghatgi MLA, Santosh Lad, charged the Delhi police of being hand in glove with Emmar Company, the litigant, in causing his arrest. He threatened to file a defamation suit against the policemen.

Lad, who was emotionally disturbed because of this incident, said that it was not right on the part of the Delhi policemen to issue a look out circular (LOC) in his name, as he was in constant contact with the inquiry team. He said that the policemen had neither contacted him nor issued him any notice, and that he and his advocates were in contact with the policemen all through the last three months, during which period the LOC was issued. “The LOC is issued normally for criminals and terrorists who try to fly out of the country. I was available at my address, I had actively participated in the process of Rajya Sabha election campaign, but I was never contacted. This is clearly the case of the policemen colluding with Emmar, which has an axe to grind against me,” he claimed.

Lad charged some of his close associates of having a hand in his arrest. He wept when questioned as to why the central leadership did not come to his rescue. Although he suspected that political conspiracy is a possibility, he refused to name anyone in particular, and blamed his misfortune for the development. He said that there were no major issues between the rival companies, and that because of economic recession, real estate sector suffered, delaying the transaction for which money was paid. He felt that the economic offences wing of the Delhi police were overenthusiastic in pursuing the case, even though Emmar Company had no problem with the delay. “It was a civil lsuit, and I was forced to pay the entire sum involved, i.e., Rs 7.75 crore in one lump sum, to save my reputation, as the concerned somehow turned it into a criminal case,” he said.