Karnataka CM Gundu Rao cracks the whip on state police force for playing 'truant'

Karnataka's burly Chief Minister Ramarao Gundu Rao, 44, never seems to tire of flexing his muscles at anyone who tends to be a thorn in his flesh. A few months ago he is said to have masterminded a blockade of daily newspapers when he felt that the press had needled him a little too much. Last week he turned his attention to the state police force which had suddenly started playing "truant".

The normally meek police force gave Rao his first shock when, in May, the Corps of Detectives (COD) quietly filed a chargesheet against his cabinet colleague Renuka Rajendran for alleged fraud. A surprised Rao was forced to call for his confidante's resignation. Much to his embarrassment, two weeks later his close political associate, F.M. Khan, MP, was involved in a drunken fracas with a lorry-driver who refused to tow his broken-down car. Rao was piqued when the local police failed to cover up the case and the sordid details were released to the press. Then last fortnight the Shimoga district police filed a case against the controversial CM. Ibrahim (now popularly nicknamed as "Minister for Scandal") for abetting a case of assault, attempted rape and wrongful confinement.

In the Ibrahim case, his younger brother Khader is alleged to have "demanded" the daughter of Padma, a midwife in Shimoga district. Padma pleaded with him to spare her daughter but Khader threatened to kill her if she did not oblige him. To save her life Padma agreed but the next day complained to the local police. That evening an enraged Khader broke into her house and dragged her out. Khader was joined by his brother Rehman (who was killed in a gang war later) and they forcibly tutored her to make a statement to the police that she had registered a false complaint.

Padma was then bundled into a car and brought to Ibrahim's house in Bangalore. Khader told her to fall at Ibrahim's feet and tell him that he had done nothing to her. Otherwise she was told that she would not see her children again. When Ibrahim came Padma did as she was told. Satisfied, Ibrahim asked Khader to take her back and made her file an application to the local magistrate stating that she had made a false complaint against Khader.

After a few days she complained to the local police about the entire episode. The COD was called in to investigate. When COD was satisfied that there was a prima facie case they asked the local police to file a case against Ibrahim, his brother and two others for alleged assault, attempted rape and wrongful confinement.

Ibrahim, a "master defector" who quit the Janata Party to manoeuvre his way into the Gundu Rao Cabinet with the aid of his mentor, F.M. Khan, has been an embarrassment to the Rao Government from the beginning. Last November, returning from a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ibrahim with 12 suitcases of dutiable goods in tow waltzed through Bombay customs waving his diplomatic passport.