 "Explained: The suicide of Karnataka contractor and the case against BJP minister Eshwarappa")
Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa has been named in a police case in connection with the suicide of a contractor involved in state government projects.
The first information report (FIR) accuses the minister in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Karnataka of driving the contractor, Santhosh Patil, to suicide. Eshwarappa’s two associates, Basavaraj and Ramesh, have also been named in the FIR, which was filed based on a complaint filed by Patil’s brother Prashant.
Karnataka Min KS Eshwarappa, Basavaraja & Ramesh (Eshwarappa's close aides)must be arrested; want justice for our brother.Everybody whose names mentioned in FIR must be arrested,till then we'll not take my brother's body:Prashant Patil,deceased contractor Santosh Patil's brother pic.twitter.com/PRXNINBwsx
— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2022
According to the police, the minister was booked under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Patil, 40 was found dead in a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday morning. He was a member of the BJP and a national secretary of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, a religious youth group incorporated by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath
What is the case and what are the allegations against the minister? We take a look.
Patil had recently raised allegations against Eshwarappa, saying the rural development minister had been harassing him for commissions to clear payment for contracts he had implemented for the government over a year ago. Patil had also said that the BJP leader should be blamed if something happened to him.
How many more lives will this '40% BJP Sarkar' take before being punished by the people of Karnataka?
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 12, 2022
A disaster in the making of Karnataka. Only throwing BJP out will unlock the potential of Karnataka.#MurderByBJP pic.twitter.com/uF3mMvGPKM
In a suicide note, the contractor reiterated that Eshwarappa was responsible for this death.
“RDPR [Rural Development and Panchayat Raj> minister KS Eshwarappa is solely responsible for my death. I am taking this decision, keeping my aspirations aside. I request with folded hands to our prime minister, chief minister, our beloved Lingayat leader BSY and everybody else to extend a helping hand to my wife and kids,” he wrote in the note, reports NDTV.
On Tuesday morning, Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai was informed in Mangaluru that the contractor had gone missing after leaving a note behind. The CM stated that he did not have any information on the matter. The allegations
Patil was among many contractors who had accused the state BJP government of corruption. He had alleged that Eshwarappa had no released payments for a project completed in 2019 and was being hounded by loan sharks.
“Because of the pandemic and other political reasons, the process kept getting delayed. I finished the project in 2019 but have not received a single penny for it yet. I have borrowed money heavily for it and am being hounded by loan sharks now,” Patil had told The News Minute (TNM) last month.
According to Patil, no work order was raised for the project that he had undertaken. “When I kept following up with Eshwarappa, some of his assistants asked me for 40 per cent of the total project — almost Rs 4 crore — to have the total payment processed,” Patil had told TNM.
Patil had recently written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister for rural development Giriraj Singh alleging that Eshwarappa and his associates were harassing him for commissions.
Patil, in his letters to the Centre, had stated that he and six other contractors had implemented road projects in Hindala gram panchayat in Belagavi district but were not paid for the same. He claimed that the contractors had suffered losses because of the government’s delay in payments.
What is the minister saying
In the past, Eshwarappa had denied all allegations against him and said he did not know Patil. He once again insisted that he had no connection with the contractor on Tuesday.
The politician pointed out that he had sued Patil for defamation. “He may have committed suicide fearing the inability to prove his allegations against me. He had received a court notice in the defamation case,” Eshwarappa said on Tuesday.
Bommai said that he has directed the police to ensure a speedy and transparent investigation into the death of the contractor.
Yes FIR registered (against KS Eswarappa over the death of contractor Santosh Patil). Have gathered all info...I will speak with Eshwarappa....I don't know what he (Eshwarappa) said (about resignation). It will be cleared when we speak directly...: Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai pic.twitter.com/RLQegvueri
— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2022
Demand for the minister’s resignation, arrest
Opposition parties, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) have hit out at the BJP.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “BJP’s 40% Commission Govt in Karnataka has claimed the life of their own Karyakarta. The victim’s pleas to the PM went unanswered. PM & CM are complicit. #BJPCorruptionFiles.”
BJP’s 40% Commission Govt in Karnataka has claimed the life of their own Karyakarta.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 12, 2022
The victim’s pleas to the PM went unanswered.
PM & CM are complicit.#BJPCorruptionFiles pic.twitter.com/x6LUJfaQX5
Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah demanded action against Eshwarappa, asking the Karnataka chief minister to sack him.
“Everyone knows it is a murder. Santhosh died after levelling corruption allegations against KS Eshwarappa… Eshwarappa should immediately be arrested and dismissed from the Cabinet,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Eshwarappa must be arrested under IPC Section 302. Corruption is at an all-time high under the BJP. This issue of 40% commission has not been raised by us. The registered contractors’ association has raised this issue and now it has reached here,” Shivakumar said.
JD(S) also too demanded Eshwarappa’s resignation. Former Karnataka chief minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said, “Till Eshwarappa comes clear of these allegations after a fair investigation, he should resign from his post.”
With inputs from agencies
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