Contractor's suicide: Karnataka CM says no interference in inquiry

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday dismissed allegations of government interference in the investigation into civil contractor Santosh Patil’s suicide. 

Bommai accused the opposition Congress of wanting to be investigator, prosecutor and judge in the case.

Following a political furore that erupted on the issue, senior BJP leader K S Eshwarappa, against whom police have booked a case of abetment to suicide, submitted his resignation as the rural development and panchayat raj minister on Friday night.

“Santosh Patil’s suicide is being investigated, postmortem has been done, FSL [forensic science laboratory] report will come. On the basis of it, what has happened will be scientifically known,” the CM said in response to Congress questioning as to why Eshwarappa has not been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Bommai reminded reporters about the case involving KJ George, a minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government. The police, despite having video allegations against him and a death note, did not mention his name in the FIR, and there was an attempt to shut the case, he said. The court had to issue an order when the deceased police officer M K Ganapathy’s family approached it, the CM said.

“But we have filed FIR [in Patil’s case] as per the complaint and accordingly the investigation is on… based on the progress of investigation, further sections may be added, let the investigation happen,” he added.

M K Ganapathy, who was deputy superintendent of police, Mangaluru, had allegedly killed himself at a lodge in Kodagu on July 7, 2016. In a video message before suicide, he had named the then home minister George and two top IPS officers responsible for his decision.

“What section has to be invoked, what provisions, will happen as per law. The government has in no way interfered. Just because I brought out what they [Congress] did during the George case, they have accused me of giving a certificate [of innocence to Eshwarappa],” he said.

“There is law and investigation will take place in accordance with it,” he said.