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Karnataka security adviser threatens to sue ex-DGP

Dinakar is at the centre of a controversy for his book --- Veerappan's Prize Catch: Rajkumar --- in which he alleged payment of Rs 20 crore as ransom for the release of Kannada filmstar Rajkumar from fugitive Veerappan two years ago.

"I am considering moving a court. It is being legally examined how defamatory the contents [in the book] are," Srinivasulu told reporters.

Srinivasulu dismissed as 'hearsay' the allegation of the ransom. "Either the receiver [of the ransom] has to tell it or the giver. The giver has already denied it. We cannot say about the receiver. In the absence of it, whatever comes is hearsay. And it [the charge] coming from Dinakar, it is much worse [than hearsay]."

He said Dinakar has mentioned in his book about his association with Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran and 'extremists'. But he said he had known Nedumaran for a long time since his days in the Congress and was his friend, though their differed on ideology.

He said during the Rajkumar abduction crisis, he and his team met Nedumaran thrice as part of a private effort to secure the release of the film actor.

"As an intelligence officer, I have several contacts and sources in some of the extremist outfits. How intelligence [officers] works is alien to the knowledge of C Dinakar. I have always used my knowledge of such organisations to the benefit of the state and the country," Srinivasulu said.

He said Dinakar had claimed that the chief minister paid the ransom and his son-in-law, V C Siddartha, Inspector General of Police T Jayaprakash, Rajkumar's wife Parvathamma, and others carried the money on various occasions.

"I would not like to comment on such sensitive issues because Dinakar does not know the definition of the truth. His way of functioning has always been one of leveling baseless allegations against every individual so that in contrast he would like to pass off as Mr Clean," Srinivasulu said.

He also denied allegations by Dinakar that he was a naxalite and had links with such groups.

Meanwhile, he said the Karnataka government has decided not to pay any ransom in its efforts to secure the release of Janata Dal, United, leader H Nagappa abducted by Veerappan.

He said Veerappan has made no demand for ransom and has only asked for a particular emissary [jailed Tamil activist Kollathur Mani] and "then he will indicate what his demand is".

Srinivasulu said, "We have all totally failed in catching Veerappan. There can be no excuses for that."