'Encounter' specialist scared of being arrested?

Sunday, 19 February 2006

MUMBAI — He may have killed over 80 gangsters in 'encounters,' but celebrity cop Daya Nayak appears scared of being arrested and spending time in a cell next to notorious criminals.

Nayak has been desperately trying to evade arrest for the past one month, and has fought his way through a special anti-corruption bureau (ACB) court, the Session's court, the Bombay High Court, and finally the Supreme Court. All these courts have refused to grant him anticipatory bail, though his wife, Komal — who also appeared equally scared of being arrested — has got bail.

Nayak's lawyer had last week promised the Bombay High Court that the suspended inspector would surrender before the special court within a week — the deadline got over on Friday — but even after the Supreme Court refused to entertain his bail plea, Nayak had not surrendered.

Nayak's lawyers and relatives said after the Surpeme Court order that he would surrender soon, but ACB and police teams have been searching for him since Friday afternoon. Sources close to him said yesterday he would finally surrender over the weekend. Special squads of the ACB have been maintaining a vigil outside Nayak's suburban home, but could not trace him yesterday morning or in the afternoon.

Earlier in the month, Nayak had expressed concerns about his security. After being suspended from the force, his weapons have been withdrawn. If he is arrested and lodged in the notorious Arthur Road jail in Mumbai, his life will be at risk, his lawyer told the high court.

The court then directed the ACB to lodge Nayak in a separate cell at the jail, after his arrest. Arthur Road jail is home to members of all the top gangs, including Dawood Ibrahim-Chhota Shakeel, Chhota Rajan, Abu Salem, Arun Gawli, and other criminals.

As a sub-inspector in the crime branch, Nayak has killed members of most of these gangs. Gangsters in the jail are known to have weapons with them, and frequent fights break out inside the premises.

Many of the criminals manage to smuggle in cell phones, revolvers, liquor bottles, and in some instances, even girl friends, after bribing the jail guards.

The authorities have now decided to install jamming devices in the prison, to prevent criminals from operating their rackets from inside the premises.