Hyderabad: ‘Octopus’ in the context of the police usually refers to Organisation for Counter Terrorist Operations, set up in undivided AP in 2007 after the blasts at Macca Masjid and Lumbini Park-Gokul Chat.
Long before that, gangster Nayeem had named the spot where he met police personnel in the Nallamala forest as ‘Octopus’.
The Special Investigation Team formed to investigate the cases related to Nayeem found that when he visited police stations located in the Nallamala forest and surrounding areas, the gangster was sometimes welcomed.
Nayeem was caught with sophisticated weapons at the Mannanur checkpost, but was freed after the in-charge received a call from senior police officials.
The SIT found that Nayeem was passing on information about Maoists till 2004 in Mahbubnagar district. An official source said that Nayeem procured huge parcels of land at Adibatla on the city outskirts and at Shadnagar by extorting farmers and land owners. A month before he was killed in an encounter, police found that he chose associates to contest the 2019 elections from a few Assembly constituencies in Mahbubnagar district and had gifted them Scorpio vehicles.
The SIT is yet to identify these associates. The SIT found that Nayeem extended his crime world in Achampet, Amangal, Kalwakurthy, Kodangal and Shadnagar and threatened businessmen and landowners at these localities.
“We are verifying the role of a tahsildar and a deputy tahsildar. Both assisted Nayeem in land dealings, changing of titles and registrations. These two used to roam around other tahsildar offices for set things right for Nayeem,” an official said.
Besides revenue officials, the SIT found a few police officials — from SI to DSP rank — assisting Nayeem. It was also found that these officials used to arrange liquor parties at their police quarters.
Based on reports submitted by the SIT, officials have already transferred a circle inspector rank officer. More transfers are expected.
Taxmen keep a tab on probe
The income-tax department is keenly following updates in cases related to gangster Nayeem and has procured key documents from the police department.
An official said that the I-T staff was following the case from Day 1, and auxilliary cases had registered after Nayeem was killed in an encounter.
“We need some more information to take further action. We are compiling documents and the value of movable and immovable assets. We are seeking a few more documents from the police,” the official said.
The SIT formed to investigate Nayeem’s cases under the supervision of Additional DG Anjani Kumar is questioning politicians, police staff, sub-registrars, revenue staff and retired officials from various departments who helped Nayeem in land and other dealings
