(S.Ravi Seshu)
The first political wicket in the form of the ruling Telangana Rastra Samithi’s Member of Legislative Council might fall off in the sensational extortion case of Nayeem, who fell to police bullets on August 8 in Mahabubnagar.
The MLC from Nalgonda district figured in a complaint filed by a Bhongir-based businessman. A telephonic conversation between the politician and the complainant seems to nail the former down. The Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao, only two days ago, announced that there is no question of sparing anyone in this sensational case.
On Monday, all Telugu television channels telecast a conversation purportedly took place between Nayeem and the businessman. A voice, allegedly of Nayeem, was threatening the other person on line for not delivering Rs.1 crore as promised. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is dealing with the case (No: 234/2014 filed on August 17, 2016) that could expose mafia-politician nexus.
According to reports, the so called MLC’s close relation with Nayeem was well-known. He used to attend an annual Muslim religious programme, called Urs festivities, organised at a Dargah near Nayeem’s house in Bhongir. The same politician, who joined TRS from Congress, allegedly pulled strings resisting police to invoke PD Act against Nayeem’s gang members.
The businessman was contacted by the MLC when he had switched off his mobile to avoid threatening calls from Nayeem. “I switched off my phone to avoid Nayeem but the MLC called up my neighbour and through him directed me to switch on my mobile so that Nayeem could talk to me,” the complainant alleged.
It is not clear whether the MLC was trying to help the businessman because he had approached him to help him out in dealing with the dreaded gang star.
The businessman revealed that he was directed by the MLC to meet Nayeem. “Two gun women were guarding Nayeem when I had met him. He demanded Rs.5 cr but reduced it to Rs.1 cr following my pleading,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, a controversial producer Nattikumar told reporters that Tollywood had connections with Nayeem.