Ramanath Rai seeks judicial probe into Eshwarappa's role in contractor suicide

Mangaluru: Karnataka Congress leader B Ramanath Rai on Saturday asked the state government to hold a judicial inquiry into the role of BJP leader K S Eshwarappa in the suicide of contractor Santhosh Patil.

Addressing reporters here, Rai said the death note of the deceased contractor had implicated Eshwarappa and alleged that the BJP leader’s actions had driven him to suicide.

The decision of the state police to give a clean chit to Eshwarappa has aggravated the miseries of the family of the deceased, Rai said, adding, that they have lost all hopes of justice.

The clean chit given to Eshwarappa by the police in the contractor suicide case is not a victory for truth but a victory for falsehood made out with political influence, the former minister said.

The case should be probed by a sitting judge to bring out the truth, he said.

Contractor Santhosh Patil’s suicide on April 11 this year had created a major controversy in the state, with the man sending a message to his friends before taking his life alleging that Eshwarappa was the sole reason for his death.

Eshwarappa later resigned as rural development and panchayat raj minister following allegations of corruption in awarding contracts.