Mohit Shukla,
a teenager living in Kanpur, did not return home from gym one evening in 1997. His
family informed about his disappearance to police. The cops, as usual, did not
take the case seriously and remained inactive. This despite the fact that several
organised gangs had suddenly emerged in Uttar Pradesh and were kidnapping the
rich for ransom. Mohit Shukla’s father was a businessman who manufactured chewing-tobacco
and was a millionaire.
The police
wanted to convince the aggrieved father that as his son was a teenager, had car
and money, he must have gone somewhere for some adventure.
One day passed
and there was no trace of Mohit. Another day passed and the police remained idle.
On the third day the cops realised something was amiss.
An FIR was finally
lodged and the police started making efforts to trace Mohit. Soon it became
clear to the police that they were dealing with a case of abduction for ransom.
As investigations progressed the name of Uttar Pradesh legislator cropped up as
a suspect. That was the first time when Raja Bhaiyya’s name hit the headlines.
Even the
police at that time were not aware about the power and clout Raja Bhaiyya had.
Police had thought he was just like any other legislator and questioning him
would be an easy affair. The circle officer who was handling the case left for
Kunda with a few constables. As soon as his vehicle neared Raja Bhaiyya’s
mansion, the circle officer froze on seeing a private army. No less than 50
armed men were sprawling or hanging around in the lawns of Raja Bhaiyya’s mansion.
He took to heels without losing a
second. The circle officer considered that he was fortunate as he and his men
were in plainclothes and in a car and not a jeep. They escaped from Kunda unnoticed.
Raja Bhaiyya
remained elusive. The press became active but what the journalists wrote was
based more on hearsay. For example his pond with his pet alligators, his hatred
for noise so strong that cars in his mansion were not driven but pushed.
Police
strongly suspected the role of Raja Bhaiyya but could not take any substantial
action against him. Mohit returned home a few days later and the case was more
or less forgotten. Nothing changed much except that Raja Bhaiyya had a new nickname
– Kunda ka Gunda and his standing as a Thakur leader had increased. Earlier, he
would contest elections as an independent candidate; now parties wanting the
vote of Thakurs were ready to patronise him.
In the
meantime, Kalyan Singh replaced Mayawati as the chief minister of Uttar
Pradesh. But soon Mayawati withdrew her support to Kalyan Singh’s government and
left it tottering. Kalyan Singh’s government would have fallen but Raja Bhaiyya
was one of those who rescued it. Once it survived Raja Bhaiyya’s clout
increased all the more.
Mayawati
became the chief minister of the state for the third time in May, 2002 and
wanted to punish Raja Bhaiyya. She wanted him behind bars. Mayawati wanted
every charge, however seemingly true or fictitious, against Raja Bhaiyya
investigated.
But by that
time, Raja Bhaiyya’s stature and notoriety had grown manifold. Police officers
who were known for their bravery excused themselves when asked to take charge
of Kunda police station. No police officer had the guts to investigate any case
against ‘Kunda ka Gunda’.
It was then
that police inspector Ram Shiromani Pandey, a daring police officer, entered
into the picture. The scene that was going to unfold has been the basic storyline
of several Hindi movies – from Zanjeer to Singham.
Pandey was
known as an encounter specialist and had been nicknamed Danda Pandey in police
and media parlance of Kanpur. He had a very strong network of informers and had
caught or killed several criminals. That he was an efficient police officer can
be gauged from the fact that whenever an international cricket matches were
held in Kanpur, Danda Pandey would be given the responsibility of security of
both teams.
I knew Danda
Pandey quite closely because I was then a crime reporter. He would often
describe me his ‘encounters’. One day, after he had finished narrating an
encounter, he suddenly said, ‘I will take you to an encounter one day. The
press says all encounters are stage-managed. I will show how I have to risk my
life.’ I could only chuckle.
He was true
to his words. One night he called me up suddenly and asked me to meet him at his
police station immediately as he wanted to share an important piece of
information. I noticed much activity at the police station when I reached there.
Danda Pandey
saw me and asked, ‘Have you had your dinner?’
‘No.’
‘Have it
quickly. We are going to leave very soon,’ he said.
‘Leave? Leave
for where?’
‘For an
encounter,’ he said as if it was a matter of fact.
= = = =
Like all
encounter specialists, Danda Pandey was also accused to stage-managing an
encounter. An inquiry was ordered against him and he was posted loop line. Loop
line in the police parlance means being given an unimportant post.
With police
officers refusing to go to Kunda, Danda Pandey realised he had an opportunity
that could turn the tide in his favour. He was fearless and proposed to his
seniors that he be sent to Kunda. The proposal was accepted. It was going to be
Kunda ka Gunda versus Danda Pandey.
Like a
reel-life hero, Danda Pandey, with Mayawati’s backing, barged into Raja
Bhaiyya’s bastion and arrested him, his father and brother. They were charged
under Prevention of Terrorism Act and sent to jail. He became a hero.
But the real
life did not end like reel-life for Danda Pandey. Mulayam Singh Yadav replaced
Mayawati as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Now Danda Pandey was at the
receiving end. Mulayam Singh Yadav wanted to get all charges against Raja
Bhaiyya dropped. But the court refused and ordered that Raja Bhaiyya be tried
outside Uttar Pradesh, in Jabalpur. Danda Pandey alleged that he and his family
members were being harassed by the state government. Nobody listened to him.
= = = =
I met Danda
Pandey in a train while I was returning from Kolkata to Kanpur in April, 2006. I
was on the upper berth when I was woken up by a heated argument. I looked down
and saw Danda Pandey engaged in an argument with another man in police uniform.
I was unable to make out why the two policemen were arguing and again went to
sleep.
I got down
after some time and found myself sitting in front of Danda Pandey.
‘Do you
recognise me?’ I asked.
He shook his
head.
I introduced
myself and he was able to recall me. On hearing that I was based in Bhopal,
Danda Pandey said, ‘I will be testifying against Raja Bhaiyya in Jabalpur High
Court very soon. Do cover it for your newspaper,’ he said.
‘I will,’ I
said.
When we got
down at Kanpur railway station, I noticed that Danda Pandey was surrounded by
four police constables, all armed with AK-47 rifles. I had never seen a police
officer getting so much security cover. Even the top police officer of a district
has on only one constable armed with AK-47 rifle as shadow. I
understood how much threat he was facing
= = = = =
In January,
2007, I received a phone call from a former colleague who said, ‘Danda Pandey
is dead.’ I was in Bhopal then. I asked him the details.
Danda Pandey
was posted at the site of Ardh Mumbh mela in Allahabad. He was returning home
in his official jeep when he met with an accident and died. The constables
accompanying him suffered only minor injuries.
Here is what
was carried in the Indian Express - http://www.indianexpress.com/news/night-before-hc-says-yes-to-his-plea-for-cbi-probe-up-cop-dies/21077/0.
