Suicide by another govt contractor revives corruption allegations against Karnataka govt
Bengaluru: A contractor in Karnataka Tumakuru district, about 70 km from the capital Bengaluru, committed suicide on Thursday, once again triggering allegations of corruption against the Basavaraj Bommai-led government ahead of the big elections next year, media reports said.
The contractor has been identified as TN Prasad, who was involved in a government project under Smart City Project worth Rs 16 crore.
A case under CRPC sec 174 was registered for unnatural death on Friday, police said.
Police said Prasad left a suicide note which said no one was responsible for his death, reported NDTV.
According to police, Prasad was depressed over government’s failure to clear dues while he was under pressure from the loan sharks to return the borrowed money.
All this forced him to take the extreme step of ending his life at an inspection bungalow, the same building that he was renovating, the report added.
Prasad is not the first contractor to commit suicide. In April, KS Eshwarappa had to step down from the state cabinet after a huge controversy erupted over the death of a contractor.
The deceased contractor mentioned Eshwarappa in his last messages, accusing the minister of being ‘solely responsible’ for his death.
Eshwarappa was named in the police case filed in the suicide, but he was later cleared of the charges.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress has launched 'PayCM' campaign against the state government accusing the Bommai-led BJP government of charging 40 percent commission on public works.
The BJP has, however, dismissed the allegations as an "evil design" and "politically motivated".