Finally, CBI to probe Ravi’s death Sonia steps in

A diktat by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the fear of a full-fledged caste war against his government seems to have forced Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to climb down and order a CBI investigation into the mysterious death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi.

Mr Siddaramaiah, after a meeting with senior officers, took this decision, sources said. The CM is likely to make a statement on the CBI probe in the Assembly on Monday.

Police and intelligence officials warned that Mr Ravi’s parents’ precarious health was a matter of concern.

In New Delhi, sources said Mrs Gandhi had spoken to Mr Siddaramaiah on Thursday night, and advised him to refer the matter to the CBI. Mrs Gandhi decided on this after a delegation of Karnataka MPs met her and apprised her on the need to hand over this case to the CBI due to the rising public outrage.

Mrs

Mrs Sonia Gandhi had spoken to Mr Siddaramaiah on Thursday night, and advised him to refer the matter to the CBI. Mrs Gandhi decided on this after a delegation of Karnataka MPs met her and apprised her on the need to hand over this case to the CBI due to the rising public outrage.

Gandhi

was briefed on the implications of not giving the case to the CBI as both the BJP and JD(S) had begun to exploit it to target the Siddaramaiah government. The Congress may have to pay a heavy price in the coming civic polls if it failed to act on people’s sentiments, said sources.