Former Minister B Ramanath Rai seeks judicial probe into Eshwarappa's role in contractor suicide
Mangaluru, Jul 23: Karnataka Congress leader B Ramanath Rai on Saturday asked the state government to hold a judicial enquiry into the role of BJP leader K S Eshwarappa in the suicide of contractor Santhosh Patil.
Addressing reporters here, Rai said the death note of the deceased contractor had implicated Eshwarappa and alleged that the BJP leader's actions had driven him to suicide.
The decision of the state police to give a clean chit to Eshwarappa has aggravated the miseries of the family of the deceased, Rai said, adding, they have lost all hopes of justice.
The clean chit given to Eshwarappa by the police in the contractor suicide case is not a victory for truth but a victory for falsehood made out with political influence, the former minister said.
The case should be probed by a sitting judge to bring out the truth, he said.
Contractor Santhosh Patil's suicide on April 11 this year had created a major controversy in the state, with the man sending a message to his friends before taking his life alleging that Eshwarappa was the sole reason for his death.
Eshwarappa later resigned as rural development and panchayat raj minister following allegations of corruption in awarding contracts.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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