The Karnataka police have given clean chit to former state minister KS Eshwarappa, who had to resign from the cabinet post after backlash over the suicide of a contractor. The police cleared Eshwarappa’s name after investigation in the case.
Santosh Patil, the contractor who died by suicide on April 12, had held Eshwarappa responsible for his decision in his last letter. The police said that the former minister, who was suspected to have a role in the matter, was cleared due to “lack of evidence”.
Patil had accused Eshwarappa of corruption in his last note, following which the BJP’s top leadership intervened and he had to step down as minister.
The BJP high command, as per sources, had made it clear to the state leadership that Eshwarappa must step down to save the party’s anti-corruption image.
Before committing suicide, Santosh Patil had sent a WhatsApp message to his friends stating his intention to take his life and blaming Eshwarappa for the extreme step.
According to police, Santosh told his wife he was going on a picnic with his friends. He left Belgaum on April 11. Following this, he went missing.
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