Karnataka minister K S Eshwarappa, who has been booked in the case relating to a contractor’s death, announces his resignation on Thursday. “Will submit my resignation letter to CM Basavaraj Bommai on Friday,” he said.
This comes even as earlier in the day, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai ruled out any action against the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister, until preliminary inquiry is completed. He said Santosh Patil’s death case will be thoroughly investigated and the truth will come out, and only based on the preliminary inquiry the government will decide on taking action against Eshwarappa.
Patil was found dead in a hotel room in Udupi on Tuesday morning. He had earlier accused Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission in a public work executed by him. The minister not only dismissed his allegations but also filed a defamation suit against him.
The FIR was registered by the Udupi police for abetment of suicide under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. Two associates of Eshwarappa — Basavaraj and Ramesh — have also been named in the FIR, which was filed based on a complaint by Patil’s brother Prashant.
The development also comes as a major change in stance by Eshwarappa who had reiterated till Wednesday that he will not step down from the ministerial post. Although he had earlier said that he was willing to step down if Bommai sought his resignation.
On March 30, Patil, who had claimed himself to be a BJP worker, alleged he had executed a work in the RDPR department and wanted the payment but that Eshwarappa demanded 40 per cent commission in the Rs four crore work, prompting a the rival Congress to dub the ruling BJP as “40 per cent sarkar.” The Minister had not only rubbished his charge then, but also filed a defamation suit against him.