Paper leak kingpin did a Pari Rajan, but with a difference

Shivakumaraiah had links with cops, politicos through aides

Question paper leak kingpin Shivakumaraiah seems to have done a Pari Rajan, the kingpin of the single-digit lottery racket. 

Interrogation of the 10 suspects arrested so far and the ongoing investigation suggest such a possibility, but with a difference.

During the last one decade, Shivakumaraiah developed a strong network of police officers and politicians and led a crime syndicate. The difference is that he handled politicians and top cops indirectly by using associates to be in touch with them. He knew that the cops and politicians would avoid him as there were cases against him, said sources in the CID.

His associates attended functions of leaders and police officers and presented gifts to them. They often looked for newly elected MLAs and newly transferred officers. But these leaders and officers may not have been aware of Shivakumaraiah’s dealings, said the police.

He might have indirect links with many politicians in Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Kolar, Ballari, Shivamogga, Haveri and Hubballi-Dharwad. Details of Shivakumaraiah’s links emerged during the interrogation of Manjunath, a physical education lecturer from Vijayanagar in the city. He used his indirect connections and ensured that investigations derailed in all the six cases registered against him in Tumakuru and Bengaluru, said the police.

Manjunath claimed that he knew little about Shivakumaraiah and he came to know him through Kiran, a close associate of the kingpin. 

He said that he rarely met Shivakumaraiah.

Hiding in Goa
Shivakumaraiah is believed to be hiding in a star hotel in Goa and is in constant touch with a team of advocates to evade a possible arrest. The police decided to invoke the provisions of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crimes Prevention Act as they realised that otherwise, they might not be able to arrest him and take him into their custody for interrogation. He always carried over a dozen mobile phones wherever he went and all of them were switched off now, the police said.“Our teams are working in various parts of the state to trace him. We have so far questioned about 300 persons,” DGP (CID) H C Kishore Chandra said. “There are around four layers in the whole scam and those who have already been arrested fall either in the third or fourth layers. 

We have credible information regarding the modus operandi of the kingpin and how the question paper was leaked. We are unable to share the information as the investigation is under progress and a clear picture will emerge once the kingpin is arrested and is thoroughly interrogated,” he said.

The six deputy superintendents of police and a host of students, who received papers from suspects and wrote exams, may not face action by the CID as there is no criminality on their part. 

“They did not sell the paper for money and hence, the police may not act against them,” said an investigating officer.