Businessmen suicides: BJP begins 2023 on a bad pitch in Karnataka

The new year has dawned on a sour note for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka.

Much to the discomfiture of Chief Minister SR Bommai, a senior BJP leader has been linked to one of the two suicides by businessmen. The incidents took place in Bengaluru and Tumakuru. In one, a FIR has been lodged against a former minister who has in the past too landed in trouble with public misconduct. In the other case, it is speculated that a demand for an illegal payment of “40 per cent” commission may have led to the suicide by a contractor.

Bommai suffers due to colleagues

While the BJP government is desperately wooing different communities ahead of assembly elections this year, the embarrassments created by his colleagues have left Bommai red in the face.

One of the accused is former Minister Aravind Limbavali. An FIR has been filed in the Kaggalipur police station against six people including the MLA of Mahadevapura constituency, Limbavali, following the suicide by businessman Pradeep, who was also a BJP worker.

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The others against whom a case has been filed include K Gopi, Raghava Bhatt, Somayya, G Ramesh Reddy and Jayaram Reddy. The complaint has come from Pradeep’s wife Namita S. Limbavali’s name was mentioned in the death note and it is said to have been written by Pradeep. All six have been charged with abetment to suicide.

Debt trap leads to suicide

Pradeep shot himself on January 1 at Nettigere on the outskirts of Bengaluru. In his suicide note, he alleged that Limbavali refused to help him recover his investment, resulting in him losing all his money.

Pradeep said he invested ₹1.5 crore in a club in 2018 after being persuaded by Gopi and Somaiya. They promised returns of ₹3 lakh a month including a salary if he worked at the club.

He said he invested money from May to December 2018 but did not receive a single rupee. He had to sell a site in Mysuru to repay the loan he had taken. Pradeep alleged that Limbavali supported Gopi and Somayya, police said.

Last September, Limbavali had snapped at a woman in front of his associates and officials and even dared to put her in police custody for trying to get a clarification regarding a land encroachment in the Whitefield area. When a reporter questioned him, he had the audacity to say: “Did I rape her?”

A Dalit, Limbavali was once thought to be in the race to become the Chief Minister. But he missed a cabinet berth when BS Yediyurappa formed the government in 2019 after a video of him went viral on social media. It was later proved not genuine by the police.

Limbavali claims innocence

Limbavali told the media that when Pradeep came to his office and revealed his problem, he asked him to check with Gopi, Somayya and others and settle the issue.

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“Pradeep again came to me and I asked him to solve the problems immediately as he was in financial trouble. I know Gopi, Somayya and others as they own a banquet hall where party meetings are usually held,” he said.

“Pradeep called me again on my mobile in August regarding a family dispute. He did not want to go into details. Limbavali said it is regrettable the problem has gone to this level. Pradeep himself said in the death note that the client agreed to pay around ₹90 lakh after my intervention,” he added.

Another suicide

A Public Works Department (PWD) contractor, TN Prasad, committed suicide in Tumakuru, also on January 1.

According to the Kyathsandra Police, the 55-year-old in his suicide note said he did hold anyone responsible for his death. However, the police said Prasad’s relatives alleged that his inability to get a bill cleared by the government after he completed a smart city project by taking a huge loan could have compelled him to take the extreme step.

A contractor who didn’t want to be named said Prasad could have killed himself after being trapped in what has come to be known as “40 per cent scam”.

Eshwarappa incident

BJP worker Santosh K Patil, also a contractor, was found hanging in Udupi in April 2022 after he alleged that then Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa harassed him for a 40 per cent commission for works of ₹4 crore done in HIndalga village in Belagavi district.

This forced Eshwarappa to quit the Bommai government. But the police gave him a clean chit and this made him pressurise his party brass to get him a berth in the Bommai cabinet again.

The Congress is making use of the “40 per cent” commission allegation made by Kempanna, the President of the Karnataka State Contractors Association. The Congress then launched a high profile ‘PayCM’ campaign. The BJP government tried everything possible to divert attention but one leader or the other says or does something that sullies BJP’s and the government’s image. 

(Suicides can be prevented. For help please call Suicide Prevention Helplines: Neha Suicide Prevention Centre – 044-24640050; Aasara helpline for suicide prevention, emotional support & trauma help — +91-9820466726; Kiran, Mental health rehabilitation — 1800-599-0019, Disha 0471- 2552056, Maithri 0484 2540530,  TN health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)