K'taka police catch absconding sex trafficking accused Santro Ravi in Gujarat

Mysuru, Jan 13: K S Manjunath alias 'Santro' Ravi, accused of being the kingpin in human-trafficking and having links with politicians and meddling with police transfers, has been arrested in Gujarat, police said on Friday. He has been arrested in connection with a case filed by his wife in Mysuru alleging she was drugged, raped and forced into marriage in 2019.

"He was arrested today in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Our teams were searching for him in various parts of Karnataka and the country. Under Mysuru police commissioner Ramesh Bhanot, 7 or 8 teams were formed and sent to Kerala, Telangana, and Maharashtra," Additional Director General of Police Law and Order Alok Kumar said.

"This morning, our teams trailed him to Gujarat, where he was apprehended with the help of the police there," he said adding that the accused is being produced before Ahmedabad court for taking the transit warrant, and then would be brought here.

Kumar said along with 'Santro' Ravi, two others Ramji and Satish have been secured for harbouring him, and they would be arrested, too, and be produced before court.

Allegations and cases against him created flutter in political circles for the last couple of weeks, with the Opposition parties releasing photographs and accusing BJP leaders of hobnobbing with him. Also, audio-clips of 'Santro' Ravi bragging of his proximity to government and police officials were doing the rounds.

Noting that a case was registered against him in Vijayanagar Police Station of Mysuru on January 2, the ADGP said it has been 11 days since and the police team has been successful in nabbing him today after making a lot of efforts. He said Chief Minister, Home Minister, and DG and IGP had expressed concern over the delay in the arrest, and appreciated the work of the police.

"Tomorrow (Saturday), Ravi will most probably be brought to Mysuru and the investigation process will start." Pointing out that 'Santro' Ravi was earlier booked under Goonda Act in 2005, Kumar said the accused tried to escape by frequently changing places. "He had changed his appearance...He is a hardcore criminal...so there was some delay."

"Certain properties linked to him have been searched and certain items seized. These will be investigated into," he said, adding that all other cases linked with or pending against him including political and police links would be looked into in the days to come.