15 June,2009 09:22 AM IST | | B V Shiva Shankar and Suresh M R
Says he'll never repeat his crime and is sorry for having put his boss in an embarrassing position
The cop involved in selling children at the city railway station has been shunted out from Bangalore to Bidar on a punishment posting.
Police constable Papanna, who was caught on camera while clinching the 'deal' with MiD DAY reporters on behalf of the touts, confirmed the news.
"I am already in Bidar to report for duty," he said. Sounding remorseful, he added, "I know what I have done and I promise you, I will never do this again in my life."
A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against him.
Papanna, who has three small children, said he has left his family behind in Bangalore. "It is not easy to shift my family to Bidar. I will suffer this as a punishment."
He feels bad for having let down his boss, H S Revanna, railway superintendent of police, who has had to face embarrassment because of him. "Our Sahebaru is a soft person and he had to answer several queries because of me. I feel very sorry for him."
Papanna was Revanna's temporary driver when MiD DAY conducted the sting to expose the child-trafficking racket in the city.
Meanwhile, Revanna told MiD DAY, "Whether he is my driver or not, I cannot escape from my responsibilities as a unit officer. I will take stringent action against him. We will inquire into the issue thoroughly before going further."
He said he had formed an inquiry committee to find out the likes of Papanna in the department. "The department's image has taken a hit and we have to cleanse it. I am ready to go to any extent to bring back our credibility."
He was planning to form a surveillance team to curb child-trafficking at the railway station. "Our people in civilian clothes will roam around the place. They will be vigilant and nab the touts red-handed."
400 touts at large
Meanwhile, Cottonpet police produced seven of the accused before the court on 12 June. While one of them was given bail, the rest are in judicial custody.
An accused in custody told MiD DAY, "There are at least 400 hundred touts in and around Majestic area. We have been caught and we want them to face the same consequence."
