JD(S) first list has father-son duo with 15 criminal cases

A man and his son, who together have around 15 criminal cases against them, figure in the first list of the candidates announced by the Janata Dal (Secular) for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike elections.

Former corporator Arif Pasha and his son Imran Pasha have been fielded by the JD(S) from Bapujinagar and Padarayanapura wards, respectively, in the Chamarajpet Assembly constituency.

There are history-sheets against them at the JJ Nagar police station. The father and the son are accused of a double murder and attempt to murder and figure in rioting and other cases, said the police.

Arif, once a close follower of former minister V Somanna, is now a trusted aide of the JD(S) MLA from Chamarajpet, B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan. The Pashas were accused of murdering two brothers — both history-sheeters — in 2004. They attacked their rival Altaf’s brothers – Amjad and Ejaz – and stabbed them to death in April 2004 during the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, which were held simultaneously. The murder occurred when the two victims accompanied the Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency candidate M Krishnappa who inaugurated his election office in Padarayanapura. The case is pending trial.

Imran is involved in 12 cases, including a double murder and an attempt to murder. He was also booked under the Arms Act and there are cases of rioting against him. Arif is involved in a murder case and four rioting cases, said the police.

Arif almost gave up criminal activity after the Banashankari Temple ward corporator and rowdy Diwan Ali was murdered by his rival Mahim’s gang in 2011.

“We had created fear among the Pashas by taking a series of measures. We even prepared the ground to book Arif under the Goonda Act. He had promised to reform himself and did so,” said a police officer.

Police said the Pashas became notorious after engineering riots in the communally sensitive JJ Nagar and surrounding areas.

They wanted to target their rivals and establish their dominance. They are directly or indirectly involved in every riot that has taken place in the area over the last 15 years.

Arif has of late given up criminal activities due to his age, but still has clout in the area, a police officer said. The Pashas are into all sorts of businesses, but their main occupation has been contracting civil projects and scraps deals.