Kerala ‘quarry mafia’ snared IPS officer?

The removal of a district police chief for allegedly receiving ₹17 lakh as bribe for allowing a quarry to reopen and the counter-allegation that he was done in by the ‘quarry mafia’ have highlighted the wheeler-dealer world of quarrying in Kerala.

The Pathanamthitta district police chief, Rahul R. Nair, a young IPS officer who had been known for his stern steps against illegal quarrying, was removed by the police top brass on Tuesday. This followed a police intelligence report that Nair had received ₹17 lakh as bribe from a quarry owner through a middle man.

The action was unprecedented in Kerala on two counts: it was for the first time that a district police chief was removed on suspicion of receiving bribe; and, it was for the first time that such huge sum of bribe was linked to a single police officer.

The 2007 batch IPS officer had allegedly demanded ₹20 lakh for allowing the reopening of the quarry, which he had earlier ordered shut. Negotiation by an intermediary brought the sum down to ₹17 lakh and the money was handed over at Kochi, so goes the allegation.

When the officer allegedly had demanded a huge sum for allowing another quarry to reopen, the quarry owners tipped off a senior police officer, who passed on the information to the top brass. The State police chief asked the intelligence wing to probe, which said the allegation was true.

The removal came as a shock to the police force and the people of Pathanamthitta district as Nair was considered an upright and bold officer. Environmental groups in the district suspected foul play.

For instance, Western Ghats Protection Council convenor MG Santhoshkumar, suspecting a conspiracy against Nair, has urged the police chief to order an impartial investigation. He pointed out Nair had got many illegal quarries closed and taken strong steps to check smuggling of granite and earth out of the district.

Environmental groups have long pointed their fingers at the alleged nexus between greedy quarry owners, power-broking politicians and corrupt officials for the thriving of illegal quarrying and sand-mining in the district.