TALKING TOUGH: Director-General of Police M. A. Basith addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Tuesday. — Photo: Satish. H

HYDERABAD: Director-General of Police M. A. Basith has asserted that no police official from Andhra Pradesh had extended support to the Gujarat police in the kidnap of Sohrabuddin and his wife Kauserbi, who were allegedly killed in a fake encounter.

"Informal inquiry with senior officials of different police wings has ruled out any involvement of the State police," Mr Basith stated at a press conference here on Tuesday. "If it is found that anyone had illegally extended cooperation to the Gujarat police, they will face action," he added. Fielding a volley of questions on the alleged logistical support extended by the local police to the fake encounter, Mr. Basith said no communication had been received from the Gujarat police about the slain persons. "There cannot be any informal arrangement or cooperation in such issues," he said dismissing charges of `discreet' help by some officials.

The Andhra Pradesh Government had sought the copies of the affidavit filed by the Gujarat Government in the Supreme Court. "There is no mention about the role of the Andhra Pradesh police in the encounter," he asserted. The affidavit had said that further investigations had been taken up in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

"We are in the process of securing further reports submitted in the apex court by Gujarat," he added.

Suicide bomb attack

Queried about the presence of Gujarat IPS officer Pandian in Hyderabad, Mr. Basith said he had come down to the city to visit the Task Force office, the target of a suicide bomb attack over a year ago. "He had stayed in the Police Officers Mess here and any senior officer is welcome to stay there," he added.

On the reluctance to order a probe into the role of State police, the DGP asked, "Where is the question of inquiry when the kidnapping of Sohrabuddin and his wife has not taken place in the State?"

He also refuted charges that a conspiracy had been hatched in Hyderabad to abduct Sohrabuddin and others.

Frequent requests had been made for cooperation in nabbing crime suspects, Mr. Basith said and explained how Gujarat police had sought the State police's help in executing the arrest warrant against Moulana Naseeruddin.

To another query, he said, if the State police extended help in good faith and the police from the other State acted `illegally', the latter were solely responsible for the consequences.

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