BJP demands CBI probe into Vinay Somaiah’s death

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, April 5, 2025: Demanding a CBI probe into the alleged suicide of BJP worker Vinay Somaiah of Kodagu, the party leaders on Friday alleged that the police intentionally dropped the names of chief minister’s legal advisor A S Ponnanna and Congress MLA Dr Manthar Gowda, from the FIR registered.

Opposition leaders R Ashoka and Chalavadi Narayanaswamy met the bereaved family members at a hospital and said that the party would continue its struggle until Ponnanna and Manthar Gowda’s names were included in the FIR.

Citing the death note allegedly left behind by Somaiah, Narayanaswamy said, “It is a practice the names mentioned in the death note will be automatically included in the FIR. But now, the police have not included the names of Ponnanna and Manthar Gowda under the pressure of the Congress government.”

Party leader C N Ashwath Narayan alleged that the police have already made up their mind to give a clean chit to MLAs Ponnanna and Manthar Gowda.

Echoing the same, Ashoka charged that police stations under Home Minister G Parameshwara have become Congress offices. Therefore, this case should be handed over to the CBI for an impartial probe, he demanded.

“Vinay was a well-educated man. His wife is a software engineer. For the past two or three months, Congress MLAs and their close associate, Tennira, have been harassing him through the SP. The MLAs’ threats have been mentioned in the death note. Even after Vinay left Madikeri and came to his home in Bengaluru, the police continued to harass him,” he alleged.

He stated that the ruling Congress party is using the police to settle political vendettas.

“A police officer, who received the CM’s medal, is on the run due to the Lokayukta raid. Action must be taken against those responsible for Vinay’s suicide and a proper investigation should be conducted into the incident. The Kodagu SP should be suspended. We will decide on our course of action along with the party president B Y Vijayendra,” he said.