A fresh First Information Report has been registered by the Station Bazar police in Kalaburgi in connection with the suicide of contractor Sachin, who was allegedly harassed by the associates of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge.
Sachin, a contractor from Bidar, died by suicide on Thursday, December 26, reportedly after receiving threats to his life and being pressured for money by Raju Kapnoor, a former Congress corporator and a close associate of Kharge.
The Station Bazar police registered the FIR on Saturday, December 28, naming Raju Kapnoor and others, following a protest by the BJP.
Sachin left a seven-page suicide note alleging that harassment by Raju Kapnoor forced him to take the extreme step.
Previously, the Bidar Railway Police Station had filed a case against Raju and others based on a complaint by Sachin’s sister Savita.
Reacting to the allegations against him, Minister Priyank Kharge addressed the media at his residence in Bengaluru, on December 28. Dismissing the allegations, he said, “There are two versions for the suicide. While the contractor is suggesting one thing, the accused have also brought out another aspect of the entire incident. Let there be a free and fair probe. Neither me, neither my department nor the government is involved in the incident,” he said, adding that he himself had requested the Home Minister to constitute an independent authority within the Home Department to investigate the matter.
Linking Kharge to the suicide, the BJP has been demanding for the Minister’s arrest. Responding to it, he said, “BJP doesn't understand the law. Am I an accused? Does the BJP know what the law is? Does it understand the law of the land? On what basis are they asking for my arrest?”
Priyank said that several BJP leaders including former CM BS Yeddyurappa, MLA N Munirathna, and MLC CT Ravi were facing cases. “There is internal strife as well and they want to cover this. I have a strong ideology which is against their political masters. Hence, it is quite natural that they are targeting me,” Kharge said.
Opposition leader in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, accused Kalaburgi district in-charge minister Priyank Kharge of abusing his power and demanded his resignation and arrest in connection with the suicide case of the contractor.
He further attacked that the Kharge family is running a “republic” in their native Kalaburgi.
(With inputs from IANS)