Santro Ravi had gone on record, bragging about his links in the statement given to Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police, B’luru, in Jan. 2022

Mysuru: Even as K.S. Manjunath alias Santro Ravi keeps the Police and politicians on tenterhooks, especially ruling BJP Ministers with whom his photos are available aplenty, with many secrets tumbling out of the casket, the latest is his own admission of being ‘a BJP worker running transfer lobby’.

Ravi who is known for his immoral trafficking racket is on the run ever since he was booked by Vijayanagar Police in Mysuru on the charges of sexual assault, forceful marriage and caste abuse on the complaint of his second wife. 

In his statement to Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police, Bengaluru, exactly a year ago in Jan. 2022, Ravi himself has gone on record that ‘I am a BJP worker and has got many Police officers transferred.’

On Jan. 21, 2022, Jagadish of Rajarajeshwari Nagar had lodged a complaint with local Police (Rajarajeshwari  Nagar) and also the ACP of Kengeri Sub-Division, Bengaluru, alleging that Ravi has been conning Government officers promising to help them with transfer. To win over them, he was showing his photos taken along with political leaders. Besides, he was claiming his wife as a High Court advocate and had a fleet of two to three cars.

Following the complaint, Ravi had rushed to the Police Station the following day, only to brag about his ‘khaki links.’ Besides claiming to be a BJP worker, he had also revealed that he had helped two Police officers in their transfers. He had also boasted about his contacts in Home Minister’s Office like PA, Minister’s friends, officers at DG and IGP Office. He had even made efforts to get a KAS officer transferred- as submitted in his statements to the Police.

In his written statement submitted to Inspector B.N. Lohit of Rajarajeshwari Nagar Police Station, Ravi had also promised to stay away from interfering in Police transfers and financial transactions henceforth and won’t do any acts that may dent the image of political leaders.        

Giving his personal details, Ravi had further stated that “My father Siddashetty was an ASI in Excise Department, who passed away 14 to 15 years ago. I did my Primary and PU education in Mandya and my wife Vanajakshi is a High Court advocate and my two children are studying in Mysuru. There were two cases booked under immoral trafficking at Kuvempunagar and Yelwal Police Stations in Mysuru in 2005, in which I was acquitted by the Court.”

Sharing the details related to his cellphones, Ravi had stated “I had bought one cellphone in the name of my friend Ganesh Babu hailing from Mysuru and another in the name of Natesh a native of Holenarasipur. I have been using the SIM cards purchased in the names of others.”

Revealing his ties with BJP, Ravi had also gone on record stating ‘I have been associated with BJP from four to five years and have acquaintance with MPs, MLAs and leaders of that party. I also have financial transactions with Mysuru native Ganesh Babu, Ravikumar and Srivatsa.’

‘Being a BJP worker, I have got several officers transferred using the influence of MPs, MLAs and leaders, sans any commission for the favour’, Ravi has explained further about his clout.

Listing the names of the officers he has helped, Ravi has said ‘I have got Police Inspector G. K. Subramanya transferred from State Intelligence to Channarayapatna as Circle Inspector and Halagur Station SI Ravikumar to Malavalli Police Station one or two months ago.’

Besides, Ravi had claimed to have sent a message to Vikram a Personal Assistant at Home Minister’s Office regarding the transfers of Ashoknagar Police Inspector and Shivamogga Police Inspector Rajendra on Jan. 19 and Jan, 21 respectively.  Basavaraj Oddala, a native of Shivamogga is in the coterie of the Home Minister and through him Ravi had sent a message regarding the transfer of Inspector B. B. Girish to Ashoknagar Police Station. Regarding the transfer of same Inspector (Girish), Ravi had also sent a message to Srinath a friend of the Home Minister on Jan. 15.

Likewise, Ravi had made efforts for the transfer of Police Inspector Rajeev to Kumbalgod (Jan.13), besides seeking information pertaining to list of vacant posts in Police Stations on the night of Jan.1 from Kiran, working at DG and IGP’s Office, followed by KAS officer Anand from Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Bangalore to Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Mysuru, on the night of Jan. 9, PSI Mahesh at the Office of IGP (Southern Range) to Halagur Police Station on Jan.7.

Despite these shocking details, Ravi walks out and the then Rajarajeshwari Nagar Inspector B. N. Lohit also lets him go scot free by merely collecting the statement, that has cast many aspersions. 

A senior Police officer who claimed anonymity told SOM “In such cases, especially when Santro Ravi himself has stated about carrying out a transfer lobby with politicians help, Inspector Lohit should have either filed a First Information Report (FIR) or submitted a report to Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), that ceases to exist, as such cases should be dealt come under Prevention of Corruption Act.”

By S.T. Ravikumar