7 teams formed to investigate suicide of contractor: Karnataka Police

Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday, barely two weeks after accusing former Karnataka rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister KS Eshwarappa of harassing him for a 40% commission to release funds for around ₹4 crore worth of work done.

Karnataka police have formed seven teams to investigate the alleged suicide of contractor and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker Santosh Patil, officials said on Saturday.

A day before his body was found, a suicide note was sent by Patil as a WhatsApp message to his associates and a section of the media, holding former Karnataka RDPR minister KS Eshwarappa responsible. (Agencies)

“In the Santosh Patil case, some directions have been given. Under SPs’ (superintendent of police) leadership, seven investigation teams have been formed and sent to different parts of the state. We will conduct the investigation comprehensively and take it forward,” Prathap Reddy, the additional director general of police (law & order), said in Udupi.

Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday, barely two weeks after accusing former rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister KS Eshwarappa of harassing him for a 40% commission to release funds for around ₹4 crore worth of work done.

A day before his body was found, a suicide note was sent by Patil as a WhatsApp message to his associates and a section of the media, holding Eshwarappa responsible.

On Friday, the minister was forced to step down from the cabinet and handed in his resignation to chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.

He submitted a one-line resignation: “On my volition, I am resigning from my minister’s post.”

Patil’s death came after he had accused Eshwarappa of demanding a 40% commission to release payments for public works to the tune of ₹4 crore in Belagavi’s Hidalgo village. Patil had said that he had pledged his wife’s jewellery, sold his house and raised money from private individuals to complete the works and there was extreme pressure to repay them.

He had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other ministers in the Union government, complaining about Eshwarappa and his demands for a bribe to clear payments.

He had even alleged that he was getting death threats ever since he wrote the letter on March 11.

Patil’s claims of corruption by the state minister fuelled protests against the Bommai government, which is facing charges of widespread corruption and polarising the population ahead of the 2023 assembly elections.

Congress has continued its protests against the government and demanded that Eshwarappa be arrested at the earliest.

“In the complaint given by Santosh Patil’s brother Prashanth Patil, he has clearly stated that Eshwarappa had demanded 40% commission. Even then no case of corruption was slapped against him. Bommai is directly responsible for this. Unless there is government interference, it is impossible for the police not to slap corruption charges,” Siddaramaiah, the leader of the oppsotion said on Saturday.

“For Congressmen, who are taking out a Yatra against corruption, it is better to count the skeletons in their cupboard,” Bommai said.

“Congressmen are taking out a Yatra against corruption as if their hands are clean as if they are holy. But the people are aware. It would not fetch any dividends. They are trying to set a narrative, but the people of Karnataka have seen them for many years. People know the scams they perpetrated. We too will go to the people and expose the scams of Congress leaders,” he added.

He added that the Santosh Patil case is being investigated.

“There is an allegation of abetment to suicide in the Santosh case. The case is under investigation. The FSL report after the postmortem will shed light scientifically on what exactly happened,” he said.

He added that there would be no interference in the probe by the government.

“In the Ganapathy suicide case video and death note was mentioning the name of the then minister George. Did his name find a mention in the FIR? The FIR was registered after orders from the Court. Ganapathy’s family had to approach the court to get the FIR done. But we have filed an FIR based on the complaint and started an investigation. Based on the findings of the probe further Sections would be invoked. Let the investigation proceed. Appropriate sections would be put up as per the law. We are not interfering in any way,” the chief minister said.