The city police who are on the lookout for underworld operative Hebbet Manja alias Manjunatha, who is wanted for the attempt on the life of realtor and industrialist Dr P. Dayanand Pai, have learnt that Manja managed to obtain a passport though he was booked under the Indian Arms Act way back in 2006.
Police are now trying to trace the officer who cleared Manja’s file during the passport verification which is a mandatory procedure. Police have found out that Manja had given an address in Bantwal taluk of Dakshina Kannada and has named his father as Dhakappa.
During the course of investigations, the investigating police team learnt that Manja is an accused along with others in a crime (No. 505) registered in 2006 at Chitradurga and was booked under the Indian Arms Act, 1955. He was also booked for murder and other charges.
The case was pending trial and the Chitradurga Sessions Court had ordered splitting up of the chargesheet against Manja and the other accused. Though a criminal case was pending before the court, Hebbet Manja still managed to obtain a passport by concealing the facts from the passport authorities, said an investigating officer.
It is also found that he has given a false affidavit before the passport authorities.
Hence, the Adugodi police station inspector has been directed to register a case against Manja under Sections 3 and 12 of the Indian Passport Act, 1967 and Section 177 (furnishing false information) and Sec 181 (giving false statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation) of the IPC.
The Adugodi police inspector has also been asked to correspond with the passport authorities to forfeit the passport issued to Manja, the officer said.
“We suspect that the passport was issued at the passport office in Bengaluru. We are also probing to find out the police officer who cleared his file giving Manja a clean track record even though serious charges were leveled against him. Recently, a red corner notice was also issued against him,” the officer added.
It may be recalled that Hebbet Manja claimed responsibility after his associates opened two round of fire at Mr Pai’s bullet-proof car near National College on October 16.
The city police had even arrested four of his associates recently, including a sharp-shooter from Hubli.