Karnataka AAP demands transparency in probe into ‘Santro Ravi’s’ Case

Bengaluru: The Karnataka unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has posed several questions to the ruling BJP government in Karnataka about the investigation in power broker ‘Santro Ravi’s’ case.

K.S. Manjunath, also known as ‘Santro Ravi’, was nabbed by the Gujarat Police earlier this moth. The alleged human trafficker was on the run for the past 11 days. Ravi was in the eye of a political storm over his alleged role in police transfers and links to several politicians. He has at least 21 criminal cases lodged against him related to human trafficking, murder, fraud, and kidnapping.

Speaking to the press at the party office here, AAP’s communication in-charge for Karnataka, Brijesh Kalappa, said, “It has been over two weeks since the arrest of Santro Ravi, but the government has not goven any information about the investigation. Are they trying to shield him or do away with him?”

Kalappa asked several pointed questions to the government, including why Ravi was apprehended in Gujarat and not in Karnataka, what was the reason for his visit to Gujarat, and who were the people with whom Ravi had business dealings.

He also questioned the government’s lack of action against those who may have helped Ravi amass a wealth of Rs 1000 crore, and asked why the ED, CBI, or the Income Tax department are not probing how Ravi acquired so much money.

In response to a question about ADGP Alok Kumar’s comment that the investigation only pertains to the harassment complaint filed by Ravi’s wife, Kalappa said, “Why is the ADGP not investigating the links of this white-collar criminal with the politicians? Alok Kumar should not give in to political pressure. If he is working on the behest of politicians, he is incompetent to hold to his post.”

Kalappa also asked who helped Ravi stay in the Kumara Kurpa government guest house and questioned the reported overdose of drugs found in Ravi’s system. He compared the lack of information about Ravi’s case to that of Ajmal Kasab, pointing out that the public had more information about Kasab’s whereabouts and daily activities.

“Of the three political parties, both Congress and JD(S) have fallen silent on the issue of Santro Ravi, after Ravi himself said that he has provided his services to all the three political parties. They are hand-in-glove in both Santro Ravi and Shirki’s case and are happy with the government’s inaction against these criminals,” the AAP leader said.