SI's death: Minister G Parameshwara announces Rs 50 lakh ex-gratia, govt job to wife
Koppal (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50 lakh and a government job to the wife of a police sub-inspector, who died under suspicious circumstances on August 4.
Parameshwara on Wednesday ruled out a CBI investigation, saying that a CID probe was enough into the death of the SI, Parashuram.
Yadgir Congress MLA Channareddy Tannur and his son Pampanagouda Tannur have been booked on a complaint by Parashuram's wife Shwetha N V that they were responsible for his death as they had allegedly got her husband transferred within seven months of his getting a posting.
She accused Reddy and his son of demanding Rs 30 lakh from her husband if he wished to continue in the same place. Due to the demand, Parashuram was depressed and died by suicide, she alleged.
The Home Minister visited the bereaved family in Somanal village in Koppal district and consoled them.
Later, speaking to reporters Parameshwara expressed his grief over the death of the policeman.
"We cannot bring him back but it is my duty to console the family. It is a loss to me as well. He was an honest officer from the Dalit community who came up after a lot of struggle," the minister said.
He said the government has taken this case seriously.
"We have offered his wife, who is an engineering graduate in Electrical stream, in our department but she has asked for a job in the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM). I will discuss this with the Chief Minister...," Parameshwara said.
"Our department and the state government have decided to give Rs 50 lakh to the family as a special grant," he added.
He dismissed the demand for a CBI probe.
"We will not give this case to the CBI. We will give them (SI's family) justice, which is their demand," the minister said.
Action will be taken against the accused based on the inquiry report, he said.
Parameshwara insisted that transfers don't happen in the police department by taking money.
According to the minister, a law is already in place that mandates transfers only after two years of the posting. If anyone gets transferred then they have the option to approach the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) and get a stay, he explained.
With regard to Parashuram, the Minister said he was transferred within seven months of getting a posting.
Transfers of sub-inspectors falls under the jurisdiction of the Inspector General of Police and not the State government, he said.
"The CID will investigate why the IG transferred him before two years were completed," he added.
The SI's death has taken a political turn with the BJP and JD(S) levelling allegations against the Congress government for taking the lives of sincere officers belonging to the SC/ ST community.
They said barely three months ago, the Accounts Superintendent in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Chandrasekharan P died by suicide.
In his suicide note, Chandrasekharan alleged that there was an illegal transfer of Rs 187 crore of the Corporation including Rs 89 crore to bank accounts of several individuals in Hyderabad.
Former Tribal Welfare Minister B Nagendra, who resigned following Chandrasekharan's death, is in jail after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
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BJP, TMC hail SC directions on counting of votes for West Bengal polls
Kolkata (PTI): The BJP and TMC on Saturday both hailed the SC directions on the Election Commission's circular over the deployment of central government personnel for vote counting in West Bengal.
The apex court on Saturday said no further order was necessary on the TMC's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's dismissal of its petition against the April 13 circular.
In a social media post, BJP leader Amit Malviya said, "In yet another legal setback, the Supreme Court has refused to intervene. The Trinamool Congress had approached the court challenging the exclusion of state government employees from vote-counting supervisor duties, and had sought an urgent hearing."
"The refusal to entertain this plea underscores a clear message -- attempts to influence or cast doubt over the integrity of the counting process will not find easy validation. Another day, another judicial rebuff for Mamata Banerjee," he added.
The TMC, however, claimed that the SC directions vindicated its stand.
"The issue raised before the Hon'ble Supreme Court pertained to the implementation of the said communication in a manner whereby only Central Government/Central PSU employees were being appointed as Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants for counting of votes," the party said in a statement.
The TMC said it was highlighted that such an interpretation and implementation of the communication would be contrary to the framework of a fair and balanced counting process.
"After hearing the parties, the Hon'ble Supreme Court directed that Clause 1 of the communication dated 13.04.2026, relating to the appointment of Counting Supervisors and Counting Assistants, must be read along with the salient feature contained in the second page of the said communication, which provides for random selection of both State Government and Central Government employees," it said.
"The Hon'ble Supreme Court has further recorded the undertaking of Mr Dama Seshadri Naidu, learned Senior Advocate appearing for the Election Commission of India that the said communication shall be followed in its letter and spirit," it added.
The TMC said that in view of the directions, it is expected that the counting of votes shall be conducted in a fair, transparent, and balanced manner.
A special bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi said the EC can choose the counting personnel, and its April 13 circular, which provides for deployment of state government employees as well, cannot be said to be incorrect.
The poll body said the apprehensions of TMC of any wrongdoing are misplaced, as the circular very clearly states that there will be a mix of central and state government employees.
The EC assured the court that the circular would be implemented in letter and spirit, and there would be state government employees also during the counting of votes on May 4.
Polling for the 294-member West Bengal assembly was held in two phases -- April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be taken up on May 4.
On April 30, the Calcutta High Court dismissed the TMC's petition against the Election Commission circular, saying there was no illegality in the poll panel's decision to appoint counting supervisors and assistants from Central government and Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) employees, instead of the state government staff.
