Bengaluru: Former DG-IGP C Dinakaran (77) who was the state police chief when thespian Dr Rajkumar was abducted by Veerappan, passed away after a brief illness in a private hospital. His final rites will be held on Friday, at Kallapalli crematorium of Indiranagar.

Dinakaran is remembered for his long legal fight for transparency in the appointment of the state police chiefs. This set precedent for reforms in the selection process. He was able to get the state police chief’s post via his legal war when SM Krishna was the chief minister.

C Dinakaran is the officer who exposed the dirty side of negotiations carried out to get Rajkumar back from Veerappan. His book Veerappan’s Prize Catch, Rajkumar created a big controversy. A resident of Indiranagar in the city he was serving as an advocate after his retirement.