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‘Won't take body till everyone arrested': Family on Karnataka contractor death
The Udupi Police registered the FIR based on a complaint filed last night by the contractor's family.
Hours after an FIR was registered against Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa and two of his close aides over contractor Santosh Patil's death, his brother called for “justice". “Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa, Basavaraja, and Ramesh must be arrested. We want justice for our brother. Everybody whose names are mentioned in FIR must be arrested, till then we will not take my brother's body,” Prashant Patil was quoted by news agency ANI.
According to an officer, the Udupi Police registered the FIR based on a complaint filed last night by the contractor's family. “The minister has been booked under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for abetment to suicide. Two of his aides have also been named in the FIR. Their names are Basavaraj and Ramesh,” said the officer.
Contractor Santosh Patil was found dead in a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday. A suicide note was recovered, in which Patil had held BJP state minister KS Eshwarappa “directly responsible” for his death. “I am going on a journey of no return. Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa is directly responsible for my death, and he should be punished. I have taken this decision after suppressing all my wants and desires. I have brought some friends with me, after lying to them that we are going on a picnic. But they are not responsible for my death. I thank all my friends, I also thank the journalists for highlighting my problems," a note shared with the media read.
Patil had also reportedly asked the central government and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa to provide protection to his wife and child after his demise in the note. “I request Mr. Yediyurappa, a senior leader of the Lingayat community, and anyone who can help my family, to help them out,’’ he had written.
Reportedly, the accusation leveled against Eshwarappa by Patil was through a letter that said the BJP state government demanded a “40 per cent commission or bribe from contractors for every project.” According to the police, the contractor had spent over ₹15 lakh on bribes alone.
Meanwhile, a Congress team on Wednesday submitted a letter to governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, demanding the sacking of the BJP state minister.
