Eshwarappa resigns as Minister, Congress demands his arrest

The Udupi police filed an FIR against him on Wednesday for abetment of suicide in connection with the death of 40--year-old contractor who had leveled bribery allegations against him. Meanwhile, Congress leader Siddaramaiah said, "There is a categorical allegation in the complaint, Santosh Patil has also said it before the media. Despite this, an FIR has not been registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act purposely...cases have been registered only for abetment."

Bengaluru: Karnataka Rural Development Minister KS Eshwarappa tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai amid the row over the alleged suicide of Belgavi-based contractor Santhosh Patil. The Udupi police filed an FIR against him on Wednesday for abetment of suicide in connection with the death of 40--year-old contractor who had leveled bribery allegations against him. As a political furore erupted, Eshwarappa, on Thursday evening announced his resignation.

Santosh Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi April 12, weeks after accusing Eshwarappa, who is also a senior BJP leader, of corruption. In a purported suicide note in the form of a WhatsApp message, Patil had blamed Eshwarappa for his death. Patil had, last month, complained to Union Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh and BJP central leaders stating that he was yet to be paid Rs 4 crore for road works undertaken in Hindalga village and had accused Eshwarappa's aides of demanding commission of the payment.

Hours before he resigned, speaking to reporters, Eshwarappa said "Will become Minister once again, after coming out with a clean slate." He said, "An allegation is being made against me, should I come clear out of it or not?...for me to come clear as innocent, if I continue as Minister when the investigation is on, there will be a feeling that I may influence the investigation."

Meanwhile, accusing the Karnataka government and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, of trying to protect Eshwarappa, the opposition Congress on Friday demanded his arrest and said that he should be booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The opposition party also urged that an impartial investigation be conducted by the police under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court. The Congress. which has found fresh ammunition against the ruling party ahead of the assembly election next year, has formed nine teams, and each team will be travelling to at least two to three districts, inform people regarding the "40 per cent commission and rampant corruption" under the current BJP government.

The party that staged an overnight protest at Vidhana Soudha said it later plans to take its protests to the assembly constituency level, to bring to the notice of the people that "Karnataka has been turned into the capital of corruption" by the BJP. The Congress also plans to hold a protest rally at Hospet in Vijayanagara district, where the ruling BJP state executive committee meeting is slated to be held under the leadership of its national President J P Nadda.

"There is a categorical allegation in the complaint, Santosh Patil has also said it before the media. Despite this, an FIR has not been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act purposely...cases have been registered only for abetment," Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said. Speaking to reporters here, former chief minister Siddaramaiah said there is deliberately a clear omission on the part of the state government and the police.

"We demand that the case be registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act...he (Eshwarappa) has to be immediately arrested as the allegation is of a heinous crime...," he said. Compensation worth Rs 1 crore should be given to the family of the deceased Santosh Patil and a government job to his family, and a pending bill of Rs 4 crore should be cleared. Alleging that attempts are on to somehow shut the case aimed at protecting Eshwarappa, Siddaramaiah said with Chief Minister Bommai himself giving a certificate of innocence to him, there cannot be an impartial investigation.

He demanded that a probe should be conducted by the police under the supervision of a sitting judge of the High Court. "Eshwarappa is not a common man, it should be seen that evidence is not destroyed by him and his associates...we are not doing this for politics, but to make Karnataka free from corruption." KPCC President D K Shivakumar also questioned why a case has not been registered against Eshwarappa in the FIR, under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. He alleged that the Chief Minister himself has become a "judge and investigation officer", by giving a "certificate" to Eshwarappa, stating that he will come out clean, even before the investigation is completed.

"Karnataka has become a capital of corruption. Neither the Prime Minister, nor Nadda or anyone is speaking about it," he said, demanding a probe by a sitting judge of the Karnataka High Court. Santosh Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi on Tuesday, weeks after accusing Eshwarappa, who is also a senior BJP leader, of corruption.

(With Agency Inputs)