Karnataka minister K S Eshwarappa booked for 'abetment of suicide' after Contractor's death

The Udupi Town police booked Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, his two aides Basavaraj and Ramesh, and others for abatement to suicide (Section 306 of Indian Penal Code) of Santosh K. Patil. The 36-year-old contractor from Hindalga in Belagavi district was found dead in a room of Shambhavi Lodge in Udupi yesterday. The minister and his aides were booked  following a complaint by the contractor’s brother Prashant Goudappa Patil who came to Udupi on April 12 night along with other members of the family of the deceased. In the complaint, Prashant said Hindalga gram panchayat members and a religious leader met Mr. Eshwarappa in Bengaluru in connection with pending work on road, sewage and other development projects that were taken up for the impending annual fair of Laxmidevi temple in 2020-21. Mr. Eshwarappa asked the gram panchayat members to go ahead with the projects and assured grant of money for the same.

Santosh Patil and other contractors went ahead with the work, which were worth more than ₹4 crore, by investing their own money. Later, when approached for payment of their bills, Mr. Eshwarappa’s aides Basavaraj and Ramesh allegedly demanded commission of 40%.Santosh Patil filed a complaint through the contractors’ association and also gave a statement to media persons about the alleged demand of commission by Mr. Eshwarappa and his aides. On April 11, Santosh Patil sent messages to a few of his friends holding Mr .Eshwarappa and his aides responsible for ending his life, Mr. Prashant said in his complaint. Earlier, the Udupi Town police had registered a case of unnatural death under Section 176 of IPC. Patil's death had on Tuesday triggered a major political row with the Congress demanding the ouster of Eshwarappa even as its senior leader Rahul Gandhi had targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai over the issue. After a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa in connection with the death of the contractor, CM Bommai said on Wednesday he will discuss the issue with his fellow Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.