India’s ‘supercops’ in firing line over mob links (reads like a movie script!)

Many people supported the ‘supercops’ because snuffing out the bad guys, most felt, was better than putting them through a failing justice system where witnesses could be manipulated and cases drag on for years

Once the poster boy of Mumbai’s police force and eulogised by Bollywood filmmakers, Daya Nayak has been accused of corruption and links with the underworld

For eight years, Daya Nayak killed with impunity - sometimes with his pistol but often with an AK-47 automatic rifle - as he bumped off people suspected to be gangsters or involved in acts of terrorism in Mumbai.

Once the poster boy of Mumbai’s police force and eulogised by Bollywood filmmakers, Nayak helped to dramatically curb organised crime in India’s financial capital, breaking the back of violent gangs and sending mobsters on the run.

The tall, moustachioed Nayak, 34, has been arrested and ordered held until early March as anti-corruption officers probe allegations he had amassed wealth, including real estate worth millions of rupees, far beyond what his salary could pay for. Nayak is not alone in his fall from grace. More than half a dosen officers of a crack force, formed over a decade ago, have been accused of corruption and links with the underworld.

Known in the Indian media as “encounter specialists” for shooting down criminals in raids, the men have either been dismissed or suspended until an investigation into their financial assets is completed.

Nayak’s critics claim that as well as taking mob money; the so-called “supercops” have been routinely killing gangsters in stage-managed shootouts and in custody. Human rights workers have branded the deaths nothing more than extra-judicial executions.

“I’ve done nothing wrong. These charges are false,” the sub-inspector, who says he killed over 80 criminals in shootouts, said recently after appearing in a Mumbai court.

In the late 1990s, Mumbai, then known as Bombay, faced a tide of mafia killings, abductions and extortion demands.

Poor migrants from villages and small towns were drafted into gangs, taking up the gun for cash, earning relatively small amounts but more than they could hope to make honestly.

The underworld was remote-controlled by bosses based in Dubai, Malaysia and Karachi who had fled India to avoid arrest, leaving behind associates to carry out their orders.

Rough Justice: Mumbai’s authorities hit back, giving a free hand to officers like Nayak who worked informers and wielded their guns to administer justice.

In a decade of violent confrontations, the officers busted hideouts and shot dead at least 350 suspected gangsters, drawing cheers from businessmen and the Bollywood set, prime mob targets.

Newspapers splashed photographs of the officers across their front pages, while film directors explored Nayak’s climb from abject poverty. Many people supported the “supercops” because snuffing out the bad guys, most felt, was better than putting them through a failing justice system where witnesses could be manipulated and cases drag on for years. Human rights activists say police routinely killed criminals in cold blood after taking them to a lonely spot and telling them to run. When they did so, or even if they did not, they were shot, usually in the back.

“They kill them (criminals) somewhere and then take their bodies to hospital and put it down as a shootout death,” PA Sebastian, a human rights activist, told Reuters.

Sometimes, rights activists allege, officers blaze away as they compete with each other for media headlines.

“Does a policeman enjoy killing? Those killed are trying to get us. They aren’t saints,” said officer Pradeep Sharma, who police records say has shot dead 104 criminals.

Sharma is facing an inquiry in the disappearance of an accused in a 2002 bomb blast in Mumbai. Human rights activists say the man, Khwaja Yunus, was killed in custody while police say he simply escaped.

“Many of these encounters are fake and killings by police extrajudicial,” said criminal lawyer Majeed Memon.

“It’s for all to see that stern police activity has curbed crimes,” Mumbai police commissioner AN Roy said. reuters

http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/oct/27inter.htm Home > News > Interview

The Rediff Interview/Encounter specialist Daya Nayak

October 23, 2003

Sub-Inspector Daya Nayak, the Mumbai Police's best-known 'encounter' specialist, is the reported inspiration for N Chandra's Kagaar and Ram Gopal Varma's Ab Tak Chhapan.

Mangalore-born Nayak began life cleaning tables at 9 at Mumbai restaurants before joining the city police force.

After killing 83 gangsters in 'encounters,' Nayak found himself accused last week of being in cahoots with the same underworld he has pledged to annihilate.

Nayak responded to the charges in a frank chat with Contributing Correspondent Vijay Singh at his office in Andheri, northwest Mumbai.

Tell us about the journey from your village to being a police officer.

In 1979 I came to Mumbai from my village in Karnataka. I had studied till the 7th standard in a Kannada school. Our family's financial condition was very bad. So my mother told me to go to Mumbai to earn some money to help the family.

I came here and started working in a hotel. I was on good terms with the hotel owner. They treated me like a family member and insisted that I join school.

I completed my graduation while still working in the hotel. I studied and slept on the hotel's porch. I worked for eight years in the hotel till my graduation.

After graduation I started working with a plumber as a supervisor. He used to give me Rs 3,000 per month. I continued staying at the hotel till I got a police job.

What assignment brought you the spotlight?

After completing one year of police training, I was posted to the Juhu police station in 1996. I was assigned to monitor the Juhu jurisdiction on the night of December 31. I was informed by one of my informers that two members of the Chhota Rajan gang were going to be there.

I went there to arrest them, but they fired on us. In retaliation I shot them dead.

I was new [in the department] so I became worried after the encounter. I had fired at them because they fired on me. I was worried because they were big gangsters. But the police department appreciated my work, and that gave me more confidence. After that, I was shifted to the special squad working against gangsters.

How many 'encounters' have you been involved in so far? Any big names among them?

I have done 83 encounters. I have arrested more than 300 criminals. I have solved many big cases.

I eliminated many top criminals of Mumbai -- Vinod Matkar, Rafik Dabawala, Taufiq Kaliya. In an encounter at Dadar's busy flower market during peak hours I was injured and hospitalised for 17 days. I gunned down three terrorists. They had thrown a bomb at me but luckily I only suffered minor injuries.

There is always a controversy after an 'encounter.' Does this affect you?

This is part of pressurising us. The ISI and big gangsters are after us. Because we have a good network they can't do anything to us. So they adopt other ways to harass us. They make false allegations against us.

Many people are trying hard to make us work under political pressure, but it doesn't matter. I know what I am doing is right. That is enough for me.

You opened a school in your hometown. Who supported you in this endeavour? There was a controversy about that too.

I studied in a primary school built by my grandfather. After completing Class VII, children had to travel 15 to 20 km to study. I was emotionally attached to the school. Some people decided to make that school till SSC so we approached the Karnataka government, they provided us land.

My village friends and I worked hard to make that school till SSC. I had a police job and a good name in Mumbai so my village friends put me in front while approaching people to build the school.

It is not a private school, it is a government school which has just been developed by us. People who helped build the school are either my friends or others who have directly helped the school.

I have good terms with many film personalities because of my loyalty towards my work. Amitabh Bachchan was present at the school's inauguration. I handed the school over to the Karnataka government after the inauguration.

I handed over a file in which I mentioned details of who donated money for the school and how the money was spent to the Maharashtra government.

Some media people said Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel financed the school. They wanted to have me suspended. I faced an inquiry. I was transferred from here for two months, but nothing came out of that inquiry.

Films are being made on your life, you are reportedly writing a film script and apparently financing a film.

Film finance, no! I don't have so much money to finance films. This is a rumour.

Many people from the film industry know me. If they make films on police life, I give them some guidance. Sometimes I also tell them how the underworld and police work because what they show is not right.

There are ups and down in my life. It's like a film story. Many people approached me to make a film on my life. I tell them the facts, but leave it to them -- to what extent they will show my life on screen.

I hear Kagaar contains the maximum facts about my life. I just want that a good image of the police be shown on screen.

Ketan Tirodkar, a former Mumbai journalist, has filed a petition against you, alleging that you are influenced by the underworld.

Ketan Tirodkar used to work with Chhota Shakeel and is now making allegations about me? The facts will be revealed in court on November 3.

I never got involved with the wrong people or in any unlawful activity, that is why such people have adopted this way to target me.

I assure you I will never be involved in any wrong activity because I have seen a day when I had nothing. I don't want to do anything wrong because I know god will punish me.

Will we see you in politics in the future?

Many people say I am going to join politics, it is incorrect.

I am very satisfied with my job. I will retire from this department. Emotionally I am very attached to it.

What about family life?

We don't have a personal life. We lead such risky lives that there is no place for family life.

Design: Uday Kuckian

Family Name :Kaskar

First Name :Dawood Ibrahim @ Dawood Shaikh Hasan

Sex :Male

Date of Birth:26-12-1955

Description :

Height :167 Cms

Build :Medium.

Eye Colour :Black.

Hair Colour :Black

Distinguishing Marks :Mole on left eye brow.

Facts of the Case: On 12th March, 1993 there was a series of bomb blasts in Bombay. Within the span of two hours, bomb exploded at ten different places and hand grenades were thrown from a vehicle causing extensive damage of life and property. Dawood Ibrahim alias Dawood Hasan is the main conspirator and is wanted.

If Traced Inform :

Officer :

DIG, CBI,STF, New Delhi.

Telephone Nos. : 022-22831443, 22831528

E-mail Address : digstfdl@cbi.nic.in

Postal Address : Central Bureau of Investigation Special Task Force, Block no-3, 2nd floor,CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110003.

Rewards declared (if any):Rs.15 lakh

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