K'tka BJP Minister booked for death of BJP activist over bribe

Bengaluru: The alleged suicide of a BJP worker and the government contractor who accused the Karnataka minister K S Eshwarappa of asking huge bribe has forced the police to file an FIR against the Minister.

Eshwarappa has been booked under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Two of the Minister's aides have also been named in the FIR.

Santhosh Patil was found dead on Tuesday, April 12 at Shambhavi Hotel in Udupi. He was a government contractor who accused senior Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa of asking for a bribe worth 40% of the total cost of a project.

Santhosh is said to have sent a message to his friends stating that Eshwarappa was 'directly responsible' for his death, and that the Minister should be punished.

Apart from Eshwarappa, Santhosh had accused officials in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) of corruption as well.

Besides Santhosh, other government contractors have also similar complaint against the Minister. Santhosh alleged that the Minister did not clear the bills for the works he had completed over a year, seeking exorbitant bribes.

Lashing out at the government for the death of the contractor, the Congress demanded the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to remove him from the government. Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar and Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sought murder case to be charged against Eshwarappa for abetting the suicide.

Responding to the Congress's demand, chief minister Bommai said there is no question of Eshwarappa resigning over the death. Eshwarappa had denied these allegations and claimed that he did not know Santhosh at all. He further sued Santhosh for defamation.