She was additionally allegedly pressured to withdraw or compromise on her rape fees in opposition to a Mumbai-based industrialist, whose agency is executing a metal plant venture in Andhra Pradesh, and who’s stated to have a cordial relationship with former chief minister and YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy.
On 28 December, 2023, the industrialist had visited Reddy at his Tadepalli camp workplace. On the time, officers acknowledged that the aim of the assembly was to replace the CM on the standing of the Kadapa Metal Plant.
A metal plant in Kadapa, a YSR stronghold, was proposed within the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014.
Nonetheless, the Metal Authority of India Restricted misplaced curiosity within the plan by 2018 citing feasibility points.
In 2019, YSR Metal Company Restricted was fashioned by Jagan as a completely owned endeavor of the Authorities of Andhra Pradesh to arrange a 3 million tonnes every year metal plant in Kadapa district. He laid the muse stone for the plant in December 2019. Nonetheless, with the venture not progressing, the YSRCP authorities roped in personal corporations to arrange the plant in affiliation with AP authorities.
The Kadapa metal plant has been an emotive election problem on YSR’s home-turf.
So, in 2023, the Jagan authorities partnered with the Mumbai-based agency to arrange the plant in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh authorities. Reddy laid the muse for the Rs 8,800 crore greenfield plant for the second time in February 2023.
The three IPS officers, now suspended, have been amongst a number of awaiting postings because the Chandrababu Naidu authorities got here to energy. These officers are perceived as being near the YSRCP. In Jethwani’s case, they have been reportedly performing on the course of high leaders to clear the identify of the distinguished industrialist.
The three separate suspension orders issued Sunday by state Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad, copies of which ThePrint has accessed, state that “there may be prima facie proof (in opposition to the officers) and that the disciplinary proceedings are warranted for grave misconduct and dereliction of responsibility”
The choice to droop the IPS officers was primarily based on an in depth inquiry report acquired from the Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada “concerning allegations on investigation in Crime No. 90/2024 u/s 384,385,386,388,420,457,468,471 r/w 12 (B) IPC in opposition to an actress from Mumbai Kum. Kadambari Narendra Kumari Jethwani”.
The sections relate to extortion, forgery and dishonest and so on deeds.
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The allegations
In December 2023, a case in opposition to Sajjan Jindal, Managing Director of JSW Metal, was lodged on the criticism of Jethwani, who alleged that the industrialist had sexually assaulted her for 2 years between October 2021 and January 2022. The complainant claims she had visited the police station a number of occasions however her criticism was filed and FIR registered solely after the Bombay Excessive Court docket suggested the police to take action.
The FIR was registered on the BKC police station in Mumbai on 13 December beneath IPC sections 376 (rape), 354 (outraging modesty of a girl) and 506 (prison intimidation).
In March 2024, although, the Mumbai Police filed a closure report citing “lack of proof”, “delay in submitting case”, and “malicious intent”.
The first purpose for the closure report was the complainant’s failure to supply proof to assist her claims and her absence from court docket regardless of a number of notices.
In his assertion, Jindal had stated, “the allegations in opposition to him are baseless, achieved with malicious intent and the case was filed to extort cash from him.”
In August, two months after the YSRCP was defeated and the TDP-led alliance got here to energy, Jethwani, a doctor by coaching, former Miss Gujarat and an actress, approached the Andhra Pradesh Police in Vijayawada.
In her criticism, she accused high police officers and others of conspiring with native businessman and YSRCP chief Kukkala Vidyasagar to falsely accuse her of forgery in a land deal case in AP and extortion, leading to a case being registered in opposition to her by the Ibrahimpatnam Police close to Vijayawada.
On 30 August, Jethwani had stated to reporters in Vijayawada that she had been “dragged into this with out [her] consent, illegally and unlawfully”. Her lawyer, N. Srinivas Rao, additionally spoke to the media, alleging that “senior officers had harassed Jethwani to drive her into compromising on the case in Mumbai”.
“As per her assertion, some bigwigs are concerned, however since she is an outsider, she’s unaware of their identification. All this isn’t doable with none political affect,” Rao reportedly stated, including that law enforcement officials have been working hand in glove with some influential individuals.
Chatting with media individuals Monday, Jethwani stated that there’s “larger stage of political affect, cash and energy concerned” in her case. “There was an FIR filed by me in December 2023 in opposition to a company honcho again in Mumbai. Throughout the investigation interval of that case all this orchestration, charade was carried out. I imagine all this was to defend the fame of the Mumbai accused. Police officers, Vidyasagar and different larger political powers in Andhra all connived, conspired to falsely assassinate my character and falsely make out a wrongdoer of me. It’s completely false, a baseless case in opposition to me.”
Jethwani stated she couldn’t seem earlier than the Mumbai Police within the alleged rape case throughout February first half as she, her household was illegally arrested, and her gadgets seized. Jethwani stated she was arrested on 3 February in the course of the Mumbai case investigation interval, which is why she couldn’t document her assertion. “I used to be kidnapped, to state the info”.
The function of the three officers
The orders stated that on 31 January, 2024, Anjaneyulu (then Director Basic of Police, Intelligence) known as Tata (then Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada Police Commissionerate) and Gunni (then Deputy Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada Police Commissionerate) to the Chief Minister’s Workplace and instructed them to arrest Jethwani, “though no crime has been registered on this regard as on that date”.
Data present that the FIR in opposition to Jethwani was registered on 2 February, 2024, morning.
“Anjaneyulu initiated and pushed the case primarily based on incomplete info, abusing his authority and official place and performed a key function in quick monitoring the investigation with out sufficient scrutiny, which is nothing however connivance and misuse of energy. His acts quantity to grave misconduct, misuse of official place and dereliction of responsibility,” his suspension orders state.
The orders concerning Tata indicated that he acted unexpectedly primarily based on Anjaneyulu’s oral directions. On the identical day (31 January, 2024), Tata issued verbal instructions to his subordinate officers and instructed his workplace to rearrange air tickets for them to fly to Mumbai.
The orders additionally famous that Tata failed to make sure that the criticism in opposition to Jethwani, lodged by Vidyasagar, was totally examined and {that a} fundamental investigation was performed earlier than sending a crew of officers to a different state to arrest Jethwani.
Flight tickets for Gunni and some different officers have been booked on 1 February, 2024, whereas the FIR was registered the following day. On additional directions, the commissioner’s workplace booked one other set of flight tickets for Satyanarayana, the then Inspector Ibrahimpatnam, and others together with 4 girls officers, and constables.
“Thus, Tata enabled and indulged within the unlawful arrest of Kumari Jethwani,” the order stated.
Gunni’s suspension orders stated that the DCP upon Anjaneyulu’s oral directions, “unexpectedly proceeded to Mumbai on 2 February to impact arrests and arrested Kumari Jethwani”.
“FIR was registered on 02.02.2024 at 6:30 AM and as predetermined, Gunni, IPS proceeded to Mumbai on 02.02.2024 at 7:30 AM, with none written directions or with none overseas passport from his superior officers on this regard. That this conduct makes it extraordinarily clear that motion was initiated properly earlier than the crime was registered and that the officer was performing solely primarily based on the prior directions of the then Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada and the then Director Basic of Police, Intelligence issued on 31.01.2024 i.e. even earlier than registration of the crime (sic).”
It was additional reported that Gunni didn’t even declare his journey allowance (TA), although he went to Mumbai on official work.
“He failed to provide a chance to the individuals arrested to provide clarification, nor did he conduct any investigation earlier than high-handedly arresting her (Jethwani). The entire act was carried out inside a number of hours of registration of FIR, with out correct documentary or materials proof, which is nothing however sheer disregard to the fundamental tenets of investigation (sic),” Gunni’s suspension order stated.
All three suspension orders noticed that the accused officers have “all the flexibility and wherewithal to affect the witnesses and accomplices concerned within the episode and it is vitally doubtless that he’ll proceed to Mumbai and in addition make all out efforts to destroy the accessible proof/ information.”
Thus stating, the federal government requested Anjaneyulu, Tata and Gunni to be stationed at Vijayawada and “not go away the Headquarters with out acquiring permission”.
One ACP Ok. Hanumantha Rao and Ibrahimpatnam Circle Inspector M. Satyanarayana have been suspended final week in reference to the Jethwani case, for allegedly harassing her within the land deal case.
When contacted by ThePrint through name, Anjaneyulu refused to reply to the suspension orders “issued with instant impact”, and the allegations in opposition to him. “I don’t want to discuss to anybody on the matter,” the suspended officer stated.
Nonetheless, a report in Sakshi, a newspaper owned by Jagan’s household, stated that the officers are considering shifting the Central Administrative Tribunal in opposition to the orders.
“Naidu has apparently prolonged his political vendetta onto the AIS officers too. The searches, arrests and transit and remands have been all following authorized procedures, court docket orders. The place is the query of performing unfairly, illegally on this case?” Kakani Govardhan Reddy, a senior YSRCP chief and former minister instructed ThePrint
“When the courts have been happy with the proceedings, why is the TDP-led authorities having any problem? The suspension orders don’t additionally point out the metal tycoon matter. It’s focussed on flippant factors like when the FIR was lodged. Be it anyplace, beneath any regime, everybody is aware of how instances are registered on the police stations,” he added.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)
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