Bangalore: In an intensified battle of wits, Karnataka security adviser T
Srinivasulu on November 27 threatened to file a suit against former DGP C Dinakar
for making "defamatory" charges against him in his book, which is in the eye of a
storm for claims about ransom payment in the Rajkumar kidnap drama.
"I am considering going to a court. It is being legally examined how defamatory the
contents (in the book) are," Srinivasulu told reporters, as he launched a no-holds-
barred attack on Dinakar for levelling a spate of charges against him, including
blaming him for association with "extremists".
Dinakar is at the vortex of a controversy following his book "Veerappan's Prize
Catch: Rajkumar", in which he alleged payment of Rs 20 crore as ransom to secure the
release of Kannada thespian Rajkumar from forest brigand Veerappan two years ago.
Srinivasulu dismissed as "hearsay" the allegation of ransom payment. "Either the
receiver (of the ransom) has to tell it or the giver. The giver has already denied
it. We cannot say about the receiver. In the absence of it, whatever comes is a
hearsay. And it (the charge) coming from Dinakar,
it is much worse (than hearsay)."
Saying that Dinakar has mentioned in his book about his association with Tamil
Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran and "extremists", he said he had known
Nedumaran for a long time since his days in Congress and was his friend, though
ideology wise they were poles apart.
He said during the Rajkumar kidnap crisis, he and others under the aegis of Rainbow
Forum, met Nedumaran thrice as part of a private effort to secure the release of the
film actor.
"As an intelligence officer, I have several contacts and sources in some of the extremist outfits. How intelligence works is alien to the knowledge of C Dinakar. I have always used my knowledge of such organisations to the benefit of the state and the country," Srinivasulu said.
Dinakar, he said, had claimed that the ransom was paid by the Chief Minister and the money was carried by his son-in-law V C Siddartha and inspector general of police T Jayaprakash, Rajkumar's wife Parvathamma, and others on various occasions.
"I would not like to comment on such sensitive issues because Dinakar does not know the definition of truth. His way of functioning has always been one of levelling baseless allegations against every individual so that in contrast he would like to pass off as Mr Clean," Srinivasulu said.
"I am not a naxalite," Srinivasulu said, replying to another allegation made against him by Dinakar for his alleged association with naxalites. He said he appreciated that naxalites who were misguided due to the present social
structure and other factors had no choice but to be so but "I hold no brief for naxalites".
Srinivasulu, who said he was responding to Dinakar's charges in his personal capacity and not as security adviser, said the genesis of hostility of Dinakar towards him was because of his appointment as DGP. Srinivasulu was the DGP before Dinakar took over.
He said when he volunteered to quit as DGP after Krishna said he wanted to avoid litigation (from Dinakar), he advised the Chief Minister against appointing him saying it would be prejudicial to the smooth functioning of police department.
"His book is a bundle of untruths and fiction from a disgruntled person. I firmly believe this book is not worth reading, not worth buying and every copy should be consigned to the flames," Srinivasulu said.
PTI
