‘Won’t resign’: Karnataka minister Eshwarappa defiant after being named in contractor death case

Amid reports of Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai likely to seek K S Eshwarappa’s resignation over the death of a contractor, the state Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister said that he “has seen 100 cases like this” and asserted that “he will not step down.”

“The death note is false propaganda (on contractor Santosh Patil who accused Eshwarappa of corruption found dead in a lodge in Udupi). I have informed CM Bommai and the party president that there is no question of me resigning as a minister,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Eshwarappa had said he was willing to step down if Bommai sought his resignation.

This comes after an FIR was lodged against Eshwarappa, along with his two aides — Basavaraj and Ramesh — by Udupi Police based on a complaint lodged by contractor Santosh Patil’s brother Prashant.

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 has been 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. 

While Bommai said the police will conduct a thorough and transparent investigation, a defiant K S Eshwarappa, who is facing the heat over the death of Santosh Patil, refused to resign from the cabinet, insisting he was not at fault and that he had even filed a defamation suit against the deceased.

Patil’s wife Jayashri told reporters in Belagavi: “My husband is not the one who can commit suicide. It is a murder. A man who always advised people not to commit suicide cannot take such a drastic step. What does it mean that a man who happily spoke to me last evening is no more,” she asked. 

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.