ANURAG’S FAMILY MEETS CM
Was under pressure to sign some official documents, didn’t want to return to Bengaluru, say kin
In the 10 years of his posting in Karnataka, Anurag Tewari was transferred seven to eight times due to his ‘upright attitude and zero tolerance towards corruption’. Under immense pressure to sign some official documents of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department in Bengaluru, where Anurag was posted as commissioner, he did not want to return to Bengaluru, the family told chief minister Yogi Adityanath here on Monday.
In the 10 years of his posting in Karnataka, Anurag Tewari was transferred seven to eight times due to his ‘upright attitude and zero tolerance towards corruption’.
Under immense pressure to sign some official documents of the food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department in Bengaluru, where Anurag was posted as commissioner, he did not want to return to Bengaluru, the family told chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday.
Anurag’s family members, including elder brother Mayank, mother Sushila and sister-in-law Subhra (Mayank’s wife) met Yogi at the CM’s secretariat.
“It is a murder mystery involving two states, which can only be solved by the CBI,” Mayank Tewari, elder brother of Anurag, told HT.
The Karnataka-cadre IAS officer was found dead on May 17, his birthday, near the State Guest House at Meera Bai Marg, under the Hazratganj police station.
A resident of Bahraich, Anurag, 36 is survived by his parents and two elder brothers, Alok and Mayank.
Few months back, Anurag had even advised his parents against visiting him in Bengaluru when they expressed the desire to do so.
“Fearing some misbehaviour with parents, he (Anurag) had advised them not to visit Bengaluru when they expressed their desire to visit him,” Mayank, elder brother of the deceased, told HT.
“My brother (Anurag) had also cautioned me to remain vigilant fearing attack on me by the same persons who were after him in Bengaluru,” added Mayank.
Without naming anyone, Mayank pointed out that there was some big scam in his brother’s department of which he was aware and did not want to become a party to.
“I think his (Anurag) honesty proved to be his nemesis. You have to visit our home in Bahraich to see our humble background,” said Mayank.
Unable to come to terms with the mysterious death of his brother, Mayank, with a choked throat, said: “Anurag was transferred seven to eight times in the 10 years of his posting in Karnataka. This itself proves that how honest and upright he was.”
Commenting on the death of his brother, Mayank said: “It is definitely a murder. The room where he (Anurag) was staying has been unlocked even without proper investigation. His mobile phone was also found unlocked,” said Mayank.
“Anurag was under pressure in connection with a multi-crore scam in his department. He had sent me a text message stating that he is facing a threat to his life in Bengaluru,” he added.
“Anurag mentioned about some anomalies in floating of tenders in his department,” he said. The deceased’s mother Sushila, who is not keeping well, said: “I want an impartial inquiry into my son’s death. Only a CBI probe can bring out the truth.”
On an application by Mayank, a murder case was on Monday lodged at the Hazratganj police station over the death of IAS officer Anurag Tiwari under Section 302 of the IPC against unidentified persons. Earlier in the day, Anurag’s family members called on chief minister Yogi Adityanath and demanded a CBI probe into the incident.
The UP government had constituted an SIT on May 18 to probe into Anurag’s death. It is yet to submit its report.
Anurag and his batchmate Prabhu Narain Singh, who is posted as LDA V-C , had come to Lucknow after attending a midcareer training programme at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, a few days before the incident. They were staying together at the State Guest House when Anurag was found dead. Police recorded Singh’s statement in connection with Tewari’s death.