Was Veerappan paid Rs 5 million before he agreed to surrender?
N Sathiya Moorthy in Madras There is speculation that a Bangalore-based businessman arranged for Rs 5 million to be paid to sandalwood smuggler Veerappan to release the eight Karnataka forest officials he has held as hostages since July 12. Though the source of the funds is not clearly known, informed sources claim that money did change hands before Veerappan offered to surrender earlier this week. “Probe how his offer — made through two audio cassettes — reached the powers-that-be and you will know a lot,” says a source close to one of those involved in the negotiations. “The money was paid, and Veerappan offered to surrender.” He indicates that Veerappan needed the money to support the families of his gang members after they surrendered. Some other sources wonder why Veerappan needed the money overnight when he was rumoured to be flush with funds. “Veerappan was believed to have been in possession of large funds, collected either as ransom from local stone quarry owners and farmers
