SC petitioner demands urgent operation to nab Veerappan

NEW DELHI, NOV 17: Two days after the release of Rajkumar, a petitioner in the Veerappan case before the Supreme Court has demanded immedi...

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NEW DELHI, NOV 17: Two days after the release of Rajkumar, a petitioner in the Veerappan case before the Supreme Court has demanded immediate launching of a “most vigorous and effective drive to hunt down and capture the forest-brigand”.

In a letter to the Chief Secretaries of the Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Dr B L Wadhera said they should in cooperation with the Centre “immediately and without loss of even a day, launch the most vigorous and effective drive to hunt down and capture brigand Veerappan and his gang”.

Wadhera, who had challenged the Mysore Special Court’s August 19 decision to drop TADA charges against Veerappan and his 160 associates, said “By doing so you will not only wash all the sin of non-performance of your statutory and constitutional duty for over a decade but also earn the good will and gratitude of millions of law abiding citizens.”

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The Supreme Court while allowing the petition of Dr Wadhera along with one filed by Abdul Karim, had severely criticised the two state Governments for their inaction in the last decade in bringing to book Veerappan, who allegedly has killed 119 persons including 30 police officials.

Highlighting the links of Veerappan with secessionist elements, over which even the Supreme Court expressed deep concern, Wadhera said failure of the state machinery to arrest the brigand has been a matter of “National shame”.