Buckling under pressure from Congress high command, Opposition parties and protests across the State, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday decided to hand over the probe into death of IAS officer DK Ravi to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Making a statement in the State Assembly, Siddaramaiah slammed the Opposition parties, both BJP and Janata Dal(S) for politicising the death of Ravi, who was found hanging in a flat here on March 16.
“In the interest of justice to his parents we have decided to give the case to the CBI. We are not placing a status report on the probe,” Siddaramaiah said, adding in no State in the country a CBI probe is ordered as soon as a crime has occurred. He said the previous Governments under the JD(S) and the BJP never referred any case to the CBI despite the demands of the Congress. He said the Opposition had on many instances referred to the CBI as “Chor bachao agency and Congress Bureau of Investigation”.
“Our intention has not been to cover up the death of the officer. The police force in Karnataka is also good. We need to instill confidence in them as well,” the CM said. Siddaramaiah said that the State Government had originally intended to place a status report on the CID investigation of the unnatural death of DK Ravi, but it was prevented by the High Court from doing so. The Government had last week stated that the IAS officer committed suicide due to personal reasons.
The Karnataka HC on Sunday restrained the State Government from making public the interim report of the CID into Ravi’s death. When the Chief Minister slammed the Opposition for politicising the issue, members of both the JD(S) and the BJP walked out in protest. Continuing his tirade against Siddaramaiah, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said the Karnataka Government has handed over the probe to the CBI due to directions from the Congress high command and not out of respect for the people of the State.
“I’m really surprised by the reply of the Karnataka Chief Minister on the Floor of the House. He only handed over the case to the CBI after directions from Congress high command and not out of respect for demand of people of Karnataka,” said Kumaraswamy. The BJP also slammed Siddaramaiah. Senior BJP leader Yeddyurappa said, “The Chief Minister referred the probe to CBI, due to pressure created by not only people of the State but family of the officer. He was behaving like a dictator. The people of the state have taught him a lesson. We also demand the resignation of the State Home Minister.”
Ravi’s family welcomed the Government’s decision and said they would cooperate with the CBI “My son was son of this country. He was born for the sake of this country, and he fought for this country. He is not just my son, he is son of this country. I asked for it (CBI probe) so that his soul gets peace,” an emotional Gowramma, Ravi’s mother, said.
“I want the truth to come out. My son’s soul should get peace... Central Government (CBI) should give us justice. People should get to know about his true work. This is my request,” she added. “Ravi is not a person who will commit suicide... CBI has to investigate from all the angles to bring out the truth. Our family and Ravi’s family will completely cooperate with CBI,” the officer’s father-in-law Hanumantharayappa said.