Contractor suicide case: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge’s aide, four others held
Bengaluru: The sleuths of the Criminal Investigating Department (CID), the special wing under the Karnataka Police Department, investigating the suicide case of contractor Sachin Panchal, arrested five persons including the aide of Minister Priyank Kharge on Friday.
The BJP has alleged the role of Priyank Kharge, the son of AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, in the case.
The deceased Sachin has named Raju Kapanur, the aide of Minister Kharge and eight others in his death note. The BJP and JD (S) have demanded the resignation of Minister Kharge and the handing over of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The BJP had organised a massive protest at Kalabaragi, the native of Minister Kharge, in this connection and attempted to lay siege to his residence.
Those arrested have been identified as Raju Kapanur, Goraknath, Nandakumar Nagabujangi, Rama Nagouda Patil and Satish.
The CID had earlier issued notice to all the nine persons named in the suicide note. Following the notice, five of the accused appeared before the CID officers on Friday. They were summoned to the Bidar Railway Police station in Bidar city and arrested after questioning. The accused were produced before the local judge.
Sachin Panchal, a 26-year-old contractor in Kalaburagi, allegedly committed suicide after facing threats and extortion from Raju Kapanuru. Sachin’s seven-page suicide note blamed Kapanuru for atrocities.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R. Ashoka had accused Raju Kapanur, a prime accused in Sachin’s suicide, of being a goon protected by Congress. “They got his name removed from the Goonda Act but are now disowning him. Among the accused are three Congress leaders,” Ashoka slammed, vowing that the BJP would not rest until justice is delivered in this case.
Amid the controversy surrounding the suicide case of the contractor in Karnataka, allegedly involving the role of state Minister Priyank Kharge, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sent the suicide note of contractor Sachin Panchal to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.
Reacting to the development, Priyank Kharge lashed out at the BJP leaders in Bengaluru. “I have spoken to the family of deceased contractor Sachin Panchal. It is the responsibility of the government to conduct a transparent investigation and provide justice to that family.”
“Let the preliminary investigation take place in Sachin’s case. The CBI has clearly told the BJP government that as it is facing a shortage of resources, miscellaneous cases should not be handed over to it. We can’t take orders from the BJP on what should be done,” he stated.