IAS officer's death, Karnataka Opposition insists on CBI probe, government says no

Bengaluru: Sticking to their guns, the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly continued their dharna for the second day on Wednesday demanding a CBI probe into the mysterious death of an upright IAS officer, but the government refused to yield, maintaining a CID probe would do.

As the House met for the day, members of both BJP and JDS, continuing their night-long dharna, assembled in the well of the House shouting slogans against the government demanding a CBI inquiry, alleging that attempts were being made to "hush up" the case.

35-year old D K Ravi, Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Enforcement), was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at his flat here on Monday, with police suspecting it to be a case of suicide prima facie.

Speaking to reporters, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, "This is not a case to be handed over to CBI."

Siddaramaiah, who is facing Opposition and public pressure for ordering a CBI probe into the case that has triggered outrage across the state, said the CID would conduct an impartial and speedy probe to bring out the truth.

But not happy with the government stand, Opposition BJP leader Jagadish Shettar alleged in the Assembly that "an attempt is being made to hush up this issue. Only CBI can do an honest investigation in this case."

He said, "What we are conveying here is the anger and anguish that people are expressing on the streets of the state today but the government, instead of taking this seriously, is trying to mislead, they have taken this as a prestige issue."

"Until government orders CBI probe into the issue we will not withdraw our protest," he added.