Bangalore:
The Karnataka High Court has struck down the appointment of Shankar Bidari as the state's Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Mr Bidari was drawn into a legal battle after A R Infant, the Director General (Home Guards and Fire Services), filed an application before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), seeking quashing of the former's appointment. Mr Infant contended that his seniority was overlooked.
In scathing observations related to the alleged atrocities committed by Mr Bidari and his team during the hunt to nab forest brigand Veerappan, the High Court today compared the DGP to dictators like Saddam Hussain and Moammar Gaddafi. There were several allegations of rape, torture and ill treatment made by tribal women against the Special Task Force headed by Mr Bidari when the team was conducting search operations for sandalwood smuggler Veerapan. Mr Infant, in his petition, to the court had stated that Mr Bidari did not disclose this to the Union Public Service Commission when he was the Deputy Commander of the Special Task Force.
The court said today "If what the two women have said in their affidavit is true, he is worse than Saddam Hussain and Moammar Gaddafi."
The High court even struck down Mr Bidari's contentions "absolving himself of the responsibility" of atrocities, by stating he was only the Deputy Commander of the Joint Task Force of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and not "omnipresent and omnipotent like Saddam Hussain or Moammar Gaddafi."
On March 16, the CAT set aside Mr Bidari's appointment as the DGP and IGP of Karnataka and ruled that Mr Infant should be appointed the ad hoc police chief till the government decided on the new appointment.
With regards to the verdict of the Central Administrative Tribunal the court added "It is just".
With this order Mr Bidari who is considered to have been handpicked by former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa will have to make way for Mr Infant.