Bengaluru, Apr 12: Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K S Eshwarappa turned down the demand of the opposition Congress seeking his resignation after a contractor who had accused him of demanding 40 per cent commission was found dead in a Udupi hotel on Tuesday.
Santosh Patil from Belagavi was found dead in his room in a hotel in Udupi. He had earlier accused Eshwarappa of demanding commission on the work executed by him. The minister not only dismissed the allegations but also filed a defamation suit against him. In his purported WhatsApp message, Patil held the minister responsible for his death.
"There is no question of resigning. We have to wait for the verdict of the court in the case I had filed against Santosh Patil. I make it very clear that I am not at fault anywhere," Eshwarappa said. The minister reiterated that he did not know Santosh. According to him, based on Santosh's allegation, the Union Ministry for Rural Development had written to the RDPR in Karnataka and accordingly, an answer was given.
"It is very clear that I am not wrong. After I filed the defamation suit, a notice has been sent to him. Now I have learnt through you that he has committed suicide. Other than that, I don't know anything else," Eshwarappa said. The opposition Congress demanded the Minister's resignation after the contractor allegedly ended his life in Udupi.
‘Arrest KSE’
On the other hand the family of Santosh Pati has demanded immediate arrest of Eshwarappa. “Eshwarappa needs to be arrested. Until this is done, we won't cremate him (Santosh), we won't do anything. Justice needs to be ensured,” said Santosh’s cousin Prashanth Patil.
“It is evident, the work he carried out at Hindalga panchayat. He was in contact with Eshwarappa himself who had come there. But no payment came through and I don't know what the conversations were between them. We will be filing a complaint soon,” he added.
Comments
Add new comment