In a shocking turn of events, a driver reportedly employed with a KAS officer Bheema Nayak, has allegedly killed himself by consuming poison in Maddur. The driver, Ramesh Gowda, also reportedly left a suicide note alleging that mining baron Gali Janardhana Reddy and a KAS officer were harassing him over black money dealings of the tainted businessman.

The Mandya SP told TNM that, “On Wednesday afternoon we received a tip-off that a man had committed suicide at Samruddha Lodge in room number 14, sometime between the afternoon and evening. We found a long suicide note in which he alleges that he was being tortured due to property obtained illegally by Reddy and BJP MP Sriramulu.”

The note claims that Gowda knew about Reddy converting Rs 100 crore black money into white and hence received death threats. It also claims that Bheema Nayak, the KAS officer with the land acquisition department, had allegedly received a 20% cut for helping Reddy convert the money.

Responding to the allegation, BJP MP Sriramulu said that it was a personal matter between the driver and the land revenue officer and no one is stupid enough to give Rs 10 crore to a driver.

According to news reports, Reddy, who had spent four years in Hyderabad and Bengaluru jails had returned to Bellary after 5 years and 2 months to prepare for his daughter’s Rs 500-crore wedding. These reports come even as Reddy has been facing widespread criticism for the extravagant wedding at a time when people are facing a cash crunch due to demonetisation. 

(This is a developing story and more details are awaited.)