Mumbai, July 16: Daya Nayak can now heave a sigh of relief as The Supreme Court has annulled the MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) and other cases against the former encounter specialist of the Mumbai Squad. It was ironic that a man who once was the nightmare of wrong-doers himself came under question in the eyes of the law after being accused of possession of disproportionate income, accepting money from mafia bosses and also for allegedly having links with gangster Chhota Shakeel.
His blog states:
I started this blog because I could only see rank injustice, but the outcome has completely reaffirmed my faith in my country’s judicial system. I started it because the truth needed to be told, and now the truth has been proven, entirely and without question. I started it because an innocent man unjustly accused needed support, and you all gave it. Daya Nayak is free, finally.
Take a closer look at Daya Nayak’s life, and you will find enough stuff for a typical gangster-cop Bollywood flick. A sub-inspector with the Mumbai police force, Daya’s life changed after taking part in the operations of Mumbai Encounter Squad. He annihilated a whole bunch of gangsters after joining the Squad formed by the Maharashtra government to tackle Mumbai’s underworld. It’s estimated that he killed 86 gangsters during his term.
Ketan Tirodkar, Nayak’s estranged friend and an ex-journalist, who himself is facing trial for his alleged involvement in underworld activities filed a complaint accusing Nayak of accepting money from mafia/underworld bosses citing his alleged links with Pakistan-based gangster Chhota Shakeel.
Read Tehelka’s report on Ketan Tirodkar here:
On February 2006, Mumbai Police Anti-Corruption Bureau declared Nayak absconding. Nayak voluntarily surrenders at the court, where he is arrested on a non-bailable warrant. The anti-corruption officials raided his house and the Sessions Court issued a non-bailable warrant against Nayak. Without charging any file sheet, he was kept in prison for 60 days and was later released on bail. A close friend of his, P. Manivelan, was also kept in custody without any evidence. After their release, Manivelan filed a case with the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) for his unlawful detention which he later won. After facing these humiliating ordeals, the Maharashtra Government suspended Nayak and he remained in suspension for 3 years suffering great mental trauma and disgrace.
Flimsy allegations and suspension have put Nayak’s career and image under shadow. Once being hailed as a super cop, there were many films based on Nayak of which the most famous is ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’ (2004) by Shimit Amin where Nana Patekar enacted Nayak’s life on-screen. N Chandra’s ‘Kagaar’ and Kannada film ‘Encounter Daya Nayak‘ were also based on his life.
His life has taken him through many phases he lived the life of a hero and villain at the same time. Now with the SC judgement paving the way for Nayak’s reinstatement soon, he seems to be happy again just like a Bollywood flick ending on a good note.
-Agencies