Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SD)
Mangaluru, Dec 10: Two days after cops of Mangaluru rural police station rose in protest over the alleged action taken against circle inspector Pramod Kumar, MLA Mohiuddin Bava on Thursday December 10 openly denied allegations that he had pressurised the police department to send Pramod on leave, while also insisting that the person he had arrested was innocent.
Addressing a press meet here on Thursday December 10, Bava alleged that it was the Sangh Parivar that gave a political turn to the case, and said that he had called the DCP only because the family of the accused who was arrested had requested him to help.
"On December 7, circle inspector Pramod had arrested Abubakker Siddique in an attempted assault case in Ulaibettu. Thereafter, residents of Ulaibettu and Abubakker's family members came to me stating that Abubakker had been arrested on false allegations, and that he was innocent. I then called the DCP and told him that Abubakker's family had said he was innocent and hence a thorough investigation was required. I did not put any pressure on the DCP or any police personnel to release Abubakker. I only told the police that Abubakker was an innocent and that police should not arrest innocent people," Bava explained.
"On December 8, the personnel of Mangaluru rural police station staged a protest claiming that circle inspector Pramod had been sent on leave. The Sangh Parivar along with locals joined the protest. It was the Sangh Parivar who claimed that there was political pressure on the police department, but it is all false," he said, adding, "Recently, a sting operation showed a BJP MLC claiming that 60 percent of the police force was made up of RSS workers. This protest indicates that it might be true."
Bava also criticized the cops of the Mangaluru rural police station and informed that he would write to the state home ministry to investigate the protest staged by them.
He further added, "Innocents, no matter which religion or community they belong to, should not be arrested. The police should do thorough investigation before arresting anyone. Law and order should be maintained, if the police themselves protest and refuse to work, who will maintain law and protect the citizens?"
Asked how he could so confidently claim Abubakker's innocence, he said, "Abubakker is not an accused in the said case, so he should not have been arrested. The police had gone to arrest an accused named Naseer, but as they could not find him, they instead took hold of Abubakker."
He also reiterated that none of the politicians of Dakshina Kannada had pressurised the police to send Pramod on leave, as alleged. "No MLA or minister put any pressure on the police department. If that had been the case, Pramod would have been suspended by now," he said.