The Hindu : Eye-witness seeks protection

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Eye-witness seeks protection

VIJAYAWADA, JAN 10. Babu Rao, eye witness in the sensational lock-up death of Budda Santhan, has reiterated that he needs police protection, as he fears threat to his life.

However, he has refused to divulge as to whether the threat emanated from the police or suspected mafia elements. "Since many things are being reported in the media, I feel my life is under threat, hence I need protection,'' he said despite persistent questioning by mediapersons.

Rao was produced before the media by the City Police Commissioner, A.B. Venkateswara Rao, on Saturday amidst speculation that he was abducted again by cops.

Earlier in the day, Babu Rao was interviewed by a satellite channel when he was whisked away for questioning by the Anti-Goonda Squad.

It might be mentioned that Babu Rao on Friday made a dramatic appearance before the State High Court after a habeas corpus was filed before it by his wife alleging that he was kidnapped by police and his whereabouts were not known.

At Hyderabad, after appearing in the court, Babu Rao reportedly told scribes that he feared a threat to his life from police.

It might be recalled that after the lock-up death of Budda Santhan, Babu Rao, a lorry owner under whom the deceased worked, made a statement before senior police officials that he was a witness to the killing at the police station and maintained that there was no encounter as claimed by the latter.

However, after a few months Rao retracted and made a statement under Section 164 Cr.Pc. before a magistrate wherein he claimed that the earlier statement was made under duress of some persons who bore animosity to the then Police Commissioner, N.V. Surendra Babu.

But again, he sought to blame the police for the murder before the media at Hyderabad.

The Commissioner, Venkateswara Rao, said that the veracity of Babu Rao's conflicting statements were being examined. "He has been constantly making inconsistent statements, but we are trying to verify the truths,'' Mr. Rao stated.

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