Santosh Patil suicide: Surjewala, Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah arrested after protest against Eshwarappa

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, April 14, 2022: Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah and other party workers were arrested on Thursday, April 14, for staging a protest, demanding the removal of KS Eshwarappa from the Karnataka government. They were first detained and later placed under arrest on the way to Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai’s residence where they planned to stage a massive agitation.

 

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister KS Eshwarappa has been accused of corruption that allegedly led to the suicide of civil contractor Santosh Patil. Allegations of corruption against Eshwarappa gained steam after Patil was found dead in a lodge.

Prima facie, it seems Patil killed himself. Before his death, Patil allegedly sent a WhatsApp message to his friends stating his intention to take his life and blaming Eshwarappa for the extreme step. Patil’s body was taken to his Belagavi home on Wednesday after autopsy.

In his WhatsApp message, Patil directly blamed Eshwarappa for his death. “Eshwarappa is responsible for my death. He has to be punished. I’ve suppressed all my desires and [am] doing this. I request PM, CM and Yediyurappa to take care of my family,” Patil purportedly wrote in the WhatsApp message.

A few weeks ago, Patil wrote a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he alleged that Eshwarappa had not cleared outstanding bills due to him. He accused the BJP leader of lies, corruption and irregularities, and urged PM Modi to direct Eshwarappa to settle his bills.

The Congress is now trying to corner the BJP-led government in the state over the issue. It alleged that Eshwarappa demanded 40% ‘cut-money’ for the contractual works in his department.

Eshwarappa, however, has denied all the allegations and has maintained that he did not know Patil and had never even met him. Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday said that an inquiry was being conducted but told the Congress that it had no ‘moral right’ to protest as there had been several murders under the Grand Old Party.

Congress leader Nasir Hussain said that the party would approach the President of India if the Karnataka Government, PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah did not take steps to sack and arrest Eshwarappa.

Courtesy: India Today