Anupama Shenoy has sullied Karnataka police reputation: Senior cops

Asianet Newsable has learnt that in case Shenoy decides to withdraw her resignation, she is unlikely to be posted anymore in Ballari district. 

While everyone in the district speaks of Shenoy as a very honest officer, her colleagues feel she has major trust issues and lacks the mental toughness needed to be a cop. 

The 2010 batch officer has been working in Ballari district for the last one year. She hit the headlines this January when the district in-charge minister, Labour minister P T Parameshwar Naik, took umbrage to her putting his phone call on hold and ordered her transfer to Belagavi district. 

The public outrage that followed forced the government to revoke her transfer order. 

 

Read more: Anupama Shenoy said she'll be back, and she is!

The latest flashpoint that provoked her resignation is described by her colleagues in Ballari as 'much ado about nothing'. They say, a civil dispute between two groups relating to a construction project by the owner of a liquor outlet near an Ambedkar Bhavan did not warrant Shenoy's detention of the bar owner. 

She submitted her resignation in a huff after some 250 supporters of the bar owner demonstrated for about half hour outside her office. In the letter addressed to the Karnataka Home secretary on June 4, she cited 'personal reasons' for quitting. 

The dramatic decision to quit was followed by going incommunicado for four days, until Thursday morning, when she was traced. In the meanwhile, her Facebook posts were laced with sarcasm, as she took a dig at the liquor lobby's hold over the administration with the phrase `Karnataka Rum Rajya'. 

 

Read more: Is Anupama Shenoy's agitation a route to the BJP?

Her Facebook status was changed to 'Resigned and Jobless' as she took a dig at Naik, writing "I have already quit, P T Parameshwar Naik, when will you quit?"

According to police officers in Ballari and Bengaluru, Naik has nothing to do with the latest episode which seems to have triggered Shenoy's resignation. However, since he was her target on Facebook, everyone suspects there is more than what meets the eye. 

A post put out a poser : "CD beke, audio beke?" (Do you want CD or audio) with a hashtag alongside in Kannada translating to "Parameshi's Love Story Part 1". A few hours later, another post said, "Viewers please be patient. If the CD is released now it will spoil the children. It should be watched after midnight."

Even though Shenoy has denied posting these messages on Facebook, saying her "account could have been hacked", her colleagues are not convinced. 

 

They say the posts clearly display an awareness of the goings-on in the department and with her career. Naik, who is at the receiving end of the posts, told Asianet Newsable that the question of his quitting does not arise, saying, "They have said her account was hacked."

 

Read more: Was Anupama Shenoy’s 'audio release' an empty threat?

The Karnataka police is in a dilemma. Senior officers say the issue has become politicised and therefore the decision on her resignation letter has to be taken by the chief minister now, and not by the DGP alone. The CM has already asked Shenoy to return to the police force, which politicians cutting across party lines interpret as a safe approach. 

"We do not know what kind of ammunition she has against Parameshwar Naik, which can be politically damaging. So it is best to counsel her to take back her resignation and buy peace," said a senior Congress leader. 

Even as Congress leaders are trying to find out who is backing Shenoy. the 'Justice for Anupama' Facebook page is getting a lot of traction, with visitors to the page referring to the DSP as 'Lady Singham'. She also has the support of several retired cops. 

 

Read more: Anupama Shenoy is Lady Singham, say people who know her
 

Former IG (Intelligence) of Karnataka, Gopal Hosur told Asianet Newsable, "I was really surprised by her resignation. An officer of her integrity should not quit like this but fight within the system."