KOCHI: From their previous avatar of goons carrying out criminal and illegal activities in exchange for money, gangsters in Kerala have now graduated to the big league of mafia syndicates. Having forged links with inter-state criminals, the gangsters call the shots in just about every sphere of criminal activity -- real estate deals to prostitution, drugs, booze, hawala and financing. The huge amounts of money they rake in has earned them clout in political circles and they even get off the hook by hiring the best legal brains. Express unravels a world defined by career beyond the rule of law
For several years now, successive governments which ruled Kerala had vowed to rid the state of the menace posed by criminal gangs. But the ground reality is something else -- the state has turned into a breeding ground for gangsters who forged inter-state links to control real estate, hawala, financing, drugs and gold smuggling.
There was a time when gangs were raised with the blessings of political parties for carrying out their nefarious designs. But these days the gangs, which are no longer under the control of any political party, operate purely for monetary gain.
The strength of a gang is determined by how organised it is in executing a task -- be it a wet land filling, illegal construction or settling a multi-crore business deal -- assigned to them in a professional manner.
Also, as gangs expanded their operations, from threatening people in business deals to land filling for real estate projects, inter-gang rivalry over territorial supremacy became a major issue. It involves one gang taking a tough line against allowing a rival gang to operate on their territory without paying a specific amount as ‘location fee’. Often, the fight over sharing the location fee and supremacy over a territory had resulted in gang war.
Criminologist James Vadakkumchery says the backing of some politicians and police has enabled the gangs to become more organised. “Not a single gang leader(don) has been convicted in any murder case. They either influence the police or threaten them whenever an officer starts a probe against a don. The weak criminal justice system has made Kerala a breeding ground for gangs which engage in all sorts of illegal activities, including vehicle theft, blackmailing, extortion and ‘quotations,” he said, adding, even police are not keen on properly investigating a case whenever a gang member is slain by a rival gang.
Several youngsters lured by the easy money on offer and the likely access to strong local leaders join these gangs. “Every city and town in the state has a local criminal gang which dictates the term in the respective locality. Nowadays, the gangs function independently and money is their sole motivation,” Vadakkumchery said.
A senior police officer, who had been part of the investigation into several high-profile cases in the last 20 years, said, “In all the high-profile murders which occurred in Kerala over the past 20 years, gangs were involved. Right from Mithila Mohan murder to Paul Muthoot slaying, Imtiaz Khan killing and T P Chandrasekharan murder, gangs were involved.”
“Normally, the gangs evolve and rise to prominence with the blessings of political leaders who use them for vested interests. But in due course, the gangs become more powerful making it virtually impossible for the party to control them,” said the officer.
Behera speak
According to state police chief, Loknath Behera, police have been taking effective measures against criminal gangs operating in the state. And these gangs go underground, whenever the police conduct a drive to nab them. “Urban centres in the state have recently reported heightened activities of gangs and goondas. In the coming days, the police will devise a strategy to counter the activities of gangs and will prepare a list of offenders who will be booked under the Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act.
When a young bizman’s murder revealed nexus between police and criminals
Kochi: It was the ‘quotation’ murder(contract killing) of Kochi-based real estate businessman Imtiaz Khan on December 26, 2012, which blew the lid off the alleged nexus between a section of police officers and gangsters. The incident revealed how the criminal gangs in Kochi, which was once controlled by dreaded gangster Thammanam Shaji in the 1990s, had transformed into an organised mafia syndicate. The investigation found that the murder of Imtiaz was a fallout of the rivalry between the gangs led by ‘Bhai’ Nazeer and Maradu Aneesh. Though seven persons, including Aneesh, were arrested, they were later acquitted by the Ernakulam District Additional Sessions Court due to lack of evidence. Imtiaz was murdered to avenge the encounter killing of Joseph Sinoj a city-based youth, by Tamil Nadu police at Dindigul on March 12, 2012. The 34-year-old from Kottuvally, Paravoor, was shot dead at a lodge near Dindigul bus stand during an operation to nab a notorious criminal identified as Varichiyur Selvam. The gang of Selvam later found that the hideout and operations of Sinoj, who was an associate of Maradu Aneesh in Kochi, was leaked to the Tamil Nadu Police reportedly by Bhai Nazeer. Right from the beginning, it had been rumoured that a few police officers, who were working in the city at that time, had an unholy nexus with one of the gangs and the murder took place despite an intelligence alert on a possible murder being planned in the city on December 26. It was on December 25 that then Kochi City police commissioner issued an alert to three senior police officials which said a ‘quotation’ murder will take place in the city within the Cheranelloor police station limits on December 26. The alert was based on an intelligence input from Tamil Nadu police. The sub-inspector of Cheranelloor police station had been specifically instructed to take the necessary steps. Though, Cheranelloor police picked up four suspects, the murder took place the same night.
Mystery shrouds role of gangsters in paul Muthoot murder case
Kochi: The involvement of gangsters in the cold-blooded murder of Paul Muthoot, scion of the prominent Muthoot family, on Alappuzha-Changanassery Road during the early hours of August 21, 2009, is still shrouded in mystery. According to the police version, the Ford Endeavour driven by Paul had hit a two-wheeler rider. But Paul refused to slow down and sped away instead. A gang of goons, who was on their way to execute a contract killing, witnessed the accident and decided to extract money from Paul. After chasing him down in their vehicle, they waylaid him. As Paul confronted them, there was a brawl which resulted in him being stabbed to death. The probe revealed that gangsters Om Prakash and Puthenpalam Rajesh, wanted in several cases in the state, were travelling with Paul Muthoot on the fateful night. Karri Satheesh, another gangster, was arrested by the police in connection with the murder and made the main accused. Later, the case was handed over to the CBI which filed a chargesheet against 14 persons who were sentenced to life imprisonment by a CBI court on September 1, 2015. In September 2019, the Kerala High Court cancelled the life-term awarded to the eight convicted in the case. While eight accused were acquitted of the charge of murder, main accused Karri Satheesh failed to file his appeal before the High Court.
The Lone woman Goon
Shobha John is the first woman to be arrested under the state’s Goonda Act. Shobha, who worked as a recovery manager for a private bank, was implicated in an extortion case involving former Sabarimala thantri Kandararu Mohanararu. She along with eight other accused hatched a conspiracy and threatened the thantri with a gun in a flat in Kochi to grab his ornaments on July 23, 2006.
Operation Bolt
Goonda attacks saw a sharp fall after the police launched the ‘Operation Bolt,’ a special drive to nab trouble makers after the violent incidents in March in T’Puram
The drive saw raids, preventive detentions and patrolling of deserted or secluded areas which could serve as a meeting place of goons and anti-socials.
Several youngsters lured by the easy money on offer and the likely access to strong local leaders join these gangs.