BELAGAVI: Hours after APMC police filed a case of kidnap on Tuesday night, based on a complaint filed by the parents of the woman seen in the purported CD, allegedly involving former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, a special team formed by top police officials of Belagavi swung into action to trace her. The special team, headed by ACP (Market) Sadashiva Kattimani and Circle Police Inspector of APMC station Javid Mushapure, is expected to gather some vital information on the possible whereabouts of the woman in the next 24 hours.
According to DCP (Law and Order), Belagavi, Vikram Amte, the Belagavi police is yet to decide whether to hand over the kidnap case to the SIT. He said the local team launched an investigation into the kidnap case and the investigating officers (IO) would decide whether to hand over the case to the SIT.
On providing security to the woman’s family, Amte said the officers would verify the complaint copy and take appropriate measures. Police would take necessary action with regard to security if needed, he said.Questions are being raised on how police teams have been unable to trace the woman even after her associates, allegedly involved in creating and uploading the CD, have been detained. The sleaze CD was released 17 days ago and the SIT was formed last Thursday, but the woman remains untraced, prompting her parents to file a kidnap case.
An officer on the special team told TNIE that efforts were on to obtain information on the woman’s whereabouts by reaching out to all sources. “As it is a high-profile case involving a VIP, it is not possible to reveal information about the ongoing investigation into the kidnap case. But we are quite sure the team will get some leads shortly,’’ he added.
SIT QUESTIONS 3 MORE SUSPECTS
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been tracking three prime suspects in connection with the CD-gate and on Wednesday picked up three more people for questioning. The suspects have links with Tumakuru-based journalist, a prime accused in the case. Meanwhile, two teams from SIT raided the residence of the detainees in Laggere and seized some documents for analysis. They recorded the statement of one of the suspects, sources said.
The SIT has issued a third notice to the woman in the CD, to appear before them. The team is still waiting for the FSL report after some of the gadgets were seized from an advertising agency. A senior police officer said it will take some more days to ascertain whether it is an extortion case or honey trap. “It is too early to reveal the investigation details,” he added.