A contractor from Belagavi, who had accused the Karnataka Minister K S Eshwarappa of demanding a 40 percent commission for a contract, was found dead in a Udupi-based hotel on Tuesday. Soon after the news broke, Congress sought the resignation of the minister. However, Eshwarappa, who is a Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister in Chief Minister Basarvaj Bommai-led’s state cabinet, turned down the demand of the Opposition party and said that “he did not know the deceased”.
The deceased named Santosh Patil had earlier accused Eshwarappa of demanding a commission on the work executed by him. The minister not only dismissed the allegations but also filed a defamation suit against him.
In his purported WhatsApp message, Patil held Eshwarappa responsible for his death. “There is no question of resigning. We have to wait for the verdict of the court in the case I had filed against Santosh Patil. I make it very clear that I am not at fault anywhere,” Eshwarappa said.
According to police, the body of Patil was found in a room in the private lodge. His friends were staying adjacent to his room. Patil reportedly sent some messages to a few media houses saying that he was dying by suicide and alleged that the minister was responsible for his death.
Eshwarappa reiterated that he did not know Santosh. According to him, based on Santosh’s allegation, the Union Ministry for Rural Development had written to the RDPR in Karnataka, and accordingly, an answer was given.
“It is very clear that I am not wrong. After I filed the defamation suit, a notice has been sent to him. Now I have learnt through you that he has committed suicide. Other than that, I don’t know anything else,” Eshwarappa said.
(with inputs from PTI)
Read all the Latest Politics News and Breaking News here
Comments
0 comment