Alok Kumar claims retired police officer introduced him to Rajan

Bengaluru: Suspended IPS officer Alok Kumar, who is under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) scanner, was questioned on Sunday on his alleged links with illegal single-digit lottery kingpin Pari Rajan.

The questions included his first meeting, nature of his links with him, reason on why he had called him so many times and his visits to Rajan’s house in Bangarpet, sources said. Mr. Alok Kumar’s statement was also video recorded apart from a written statement.

Sources said he was given a questionnaire by the investigating officer in the case, Superintendent of Police T.D. Pawar, a rank much junior to his, Inspector-General of Police. “The FIR in the case is against Rajan, and Mr. Alok Kumar’s links with him only emerged during the probe. So the investigating officer of the case will continue to probe,” an officer said. Mr. Alok Kumar claimed that a retired police officer introduced him to Rajan two years ago and since then he considered Rajan a good friend, sources said. Mr. Alok Kumar claimed that even though he called the sub-inspector who arrested Rajan, he did not interfere and asked the officer to follow the law.

He reportedly denied any knowledge of the lottery scam even when he called the sub-inspector, weeks after a sting operation showing Rajan flaunting his links with top cops was aired by a private news channel.