A day after the death of contractor Santosh K. Patil in Udupi, who had accused Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa of corruption, a delegation of the Karnataka Congress called on Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday and sought dismissal of the Minister from the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
In a petition submitted to the Governor, the Congress leaders cited the “death note” of Belagavi-based contractor Patil and said, “There was a persistent and unabated harassment and acts of cruelty from Mr. Eshwarappa and his associates which amounts to abetment of suicide.”
The Congress also urged the Governor to direct the police to take cognisance of the suicide of Patil, the abetment of Mr. Eshwarappa and his aides and to register a criminal case punishable under Section 306 of the IPC and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and other provisions of law. The delegation led by Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah also demanded the arrest of Mr. Eshwarappa “in the interest of justice and equity”.
