Stung by reports of business links between police officials and surrendered naxals, Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the alleged nexus and asserted that the guilty would be punished.

The decision to institute an inquiry was taken by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at a high level review meeting held in Hyderabad in the backdrop of doubts being raised over issuance of passport to a top surrendered naxalite leader K Sammaiah who died in a freak mishap at Colombo airport recently.

The inquiry will be headed by senior IAS officer C S Rangachary, chairman of the commissionerate of enquiries, an official release said.

The recent arrest of a pseudo-naxalite Srinivas had brought to light the involvement of some senior police officers in an extortion racket, leading to the opposition parties demanding a thorough probe into the matters, it said.

Today's review meeting took note of the reports of allegations against police and decided to deal with cases of "misuse of power" with firmness.

The chief minister told the meeting that truth should be ferreted out so that action could be taken against the guilty irrespective of their position, the release added. Bureau Report