Former Minister P. Shankar Rao was summoned by the CID to appear before the investigating officers on Saturday in connection with the Greenfields land controversy.
However Shankar Rao informed the CID that he would not be able to go over to the CID Office in view of his ill-health. A letter was sent by him to the CID.
It might be mentioned here the Greenfields Colony Welfare Association President S. Chandrashekar had filed a petition in the court alleging that the minister, his brother P. Dayanand and others had tried to claim rights over 75 acres of land in the colony at Kamnajiguda by allegedly presenting forged documents.
A criminal case was registered against them on November 9, 2011. Shankar Rao then obtained an order from the High Court staying his arrest. However the Neredmet police began investigations into the case after the stay order was vacated in October 2012.
A team of police personnel on January 31, 2013 went to the residence of Shankar Rao and virtually dragged him to the Neredmet Police Station for questioning him in connection with the case. The family members of the former minister were not present in the house when the police went there. However, he was later admitted to the hospital after he complained of chest pain.
The action of the police had triggered off a hue and cry among the Congress circles and also various weaker section organizations. Even as the Chief Minister’s baiters in the ruling party demanded a CBI inquiry into the alleged police high-handedness, the daughter of the former minister, Sushmita, filed a petition before the State Human Rights Commission, demanding action against the CM and the DGP for the manner in which her father was subjected to ill-treatment.
The CID on Saturday issued notice to Shankar Rao to come to the office for further questioning him in the case. However, Shankar Rao sent a letter through his daughter expressing his inability to attend in view of his ill-health.
Speaking to the media after submitting her father’s letter, Sushmita charged that a false case was foisted against him. He has not committed any wrong. If found guilty, he could be hanged, she observed and added that her father and family members would extend full cooperation to the investigating officers. She also said that the police could do the questioning of her father at their residence.
The CID officers have not revealed whether they would do the questioning of Shankar Rao at his residence or wait for him to become all right and then summon him once again. (NSS)