IAS officer DK Ravi's death: Karnataka govt to hand over probe to CBI after Sonia Gandhi steps in

New Delhi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday decided to refer IAS officer DK Ravi’s death probe to the CBI following the Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s intervention.

Earlier, Sonia Gandhi advised Siddaramaiah to hand over probe into IAS officer DK Ravi's death to CBI. Ravi, who took on the sand mafia in Karnataka's Kolar District, was an Additional Commissioner on deputation with the Commercial Tax department. He was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his house by his wife on Monday.

His death has resulted in widespread protests all over Karnataka, with politically parties, predominantly the Bharatiya Janata Party, calling for a CBI investigation into the same.

Read: Ligature mark found on Ravi’s neck

Resisting the growing pressure for a CBI probe, the state government decided to stick to its decision not to refer the mysterious death case of Ravi to the central agency. The state government had ordered a CID probe into the suicide of the officer who had gained enormous popularity with his no-nonsense approach in taking on the land and sand mining mafia.

As public anger escalated with the family of D.K. Ravi insisting on a CBI probe and protests continuing across the state, Home Minister K.J. George made it clear after a cabinet meeting that there was no change in the stand of the government, which has come under attack from the Opposition and others for “stonewalling” a central probe.

“Whatever decision we have taken on the floor of the House (Assembly), that is the decision and we will stick to it,” George told reporters.

Read: No don will cross an IAS officer’s path, says former don on IAS officer DK Ravi’s death

Meanwhile on Thursday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said in the Lok Sabha, if the state government recommends a CBI probe, the Centre will immediately order an inquiry by the central agency. “If the state government wants (CBI probe), then as soon as I get a representation from them, we will be ready for a CBI inquiry,” he said, adding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had spoken to him. “I have spoken with the Karnataka chief minister and he has said he will send a detailed report within a couple of days,” Singh said.