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Suspended DIG flees

`He may have escaped to Bangalore where his daughter works'

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh police has launched a manhunt to nab suspended DIG (Jails) Sheshmani Tripathi, who after having been caught on tapes helping two hardened criminals lodged in a city jail, has reportedly fled the State.

An FIR was lodged against Tripathi by the Crime Branch here on Tuesday in this regard.

Police suspect the top cop might have escaped to Bangalore where his daughter works in a private firm. His wife is also reportedly staying with his daughter.

When the Crime Branch had exposed the police-mafia nexus on Monday, Tripathi promptly denied it before fleeing away from his Gomti Nagar house.

The Alambagh police, where the case was lodged, had questioned jail officials over the DIG's involvement in helping Atul Singh from quashing his transfer to Fatehgarh jail.

Police officials were particularly interested in interrogating guards deployed outside the barrack of Manish Tiwari and Atul Singh on April 27, when the crime branch had recorded their conversation with Tripathi.

A departmental probe was also reportedly on against the suspended DIG.

Crime Branch had on Monday night come up with the taped evidence of a nexus between criminals and Tripathi. SSP (Lucknow) Navniet Sikera had presented before the newspersons tapes of telephonic conversation between Tripathi and two criminals -- Atul Singh and Manish Tewari -- lodged in Lucknow Jail, recorded through a sophisticated surveillance system.

The telephonic conversation pertained to Atul Singh's request for cancellation of his transfer from Lucknow to Fatehgarh prison, ``since the jail superintendent there was harsh against criminals.''

In the conversation, Tewari initially pleaded on behalf of Atul to cancel the transfer. Later, Atul himself requested the DIG to cancel his transfer.

Mr Sikera had claimed Tripathi misused his office to further his personal interest by helping criminals.

Sources in the police intelligence claimed the two criminals had been involved in extorting money while in jail from businessmen including coal and mineral traders.

However, Tripathi denied having contacted mafias lodged in jail over the phone. "I am authorised to talk to criminals in my office.''

UNI

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