Protesters take to streets, officer’s admirer commits suicide in Kolar

BENGALURU: Protesters hit the streets in Karnataka on Tuesday amid an outpouring of grief over the alleged suicide of an IAS officer who had taken on the state’s sand and builder mafia, as the Congress government faced attacks both inside and outside the legislature.

DK Ravi, joint commissioner of vigilance with the commercial taxes department, was found hanging from the ceiling of his flat in Bengaluru on Monday.

The anti-government sentiment was triggered after it was revealed that the 35-year-old conducted raids on many politicallyconnected builders in the state capital for tax evasion.

Among the real estate companies he pursued were the Embassy Group, partly owned by state home minister KJ George, and Sobha Developers, which has close MN REDDI, Bengaluru police commissioner

links with former minister DK Shivakumar, Ravi’s colleagues told HT.

Devastated by the death, a 40-year-old man committed suicide in Kolar district where Ravi was known as ‘demolition man’ for his action against encroachments, while protesters stoned buildings of Congress legislator SN Narayanaswamy, who allegedly pressurised the government to transfer Ravi to Bengaluru for targeting his properties.

Demanding a CBI probe and describing the incident as “coldblooded murder”, senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar told the assembly that Ravi received several threatening calls days ahead of his death. “It’s hard to believe such an upright and bold officer committed suicide,” he said.

Former BJP minister V Somanna told the House that Ravi was targeting a company owned by a minister for evading `42 crore in taxes. Both chief minister Siddaramaiah and home minister George said there was no need for a CBI probe and said the CID, which is investigating the case, will submit its report in 10 days.

“We have not found any suicide note as of now and prima facie, we don’t see any room for foul play,” said Bengaluru police commissioner MN Reddi.

Union minister of state for home Kiran Rijiju and BJP MP Prahlad Joshi supported party colleagues in Karnataka and said the case should be handed to the CBI.