BENGALURU: The suicide case of S Jeeva, the 33-year-old businesswoman after she was questioned by the CID, in connection with the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation (KBDC) scam, has been handed over to the CCB for further investigation.
Jeeva had reportedly died by suicide at her Padmanabhanagar house, between 5 am and 9 am, on Friday morning. Her sister S Sangeetha had filed a complaint against a DySP-rank officer, who had summoned Jeeva for questioning.
The case was filed on Friday in the Banashankari police station, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and Abetment of Suicide (BNS 108) against Kanakalakshmi, the DySP of CID. The case was transferred to the CCB on Sunday.
“The Banashankari police have transferred the case to the CCB by handing over the preliminary investigation report on the directions of Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda. An Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)-rank officer of the CCB will probe the case and submit a report to the commissioner. The CCB officer will summon and question both the suspect and the complainant,” said an officer.
Jeeva had left behind an 11-page death note, blaming Kanakalakshmi for her death. The note will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for a detailed scientific analysis. Jeeva, who owned a wood shop in Peenya, was supplying materials to the beneficiaries of the KBDC.
According to the complaint, Kanakalakshi had stripped the victim to check if she had hidden cyanide in her undergarments. The CID officer is also accused of demanding Rs 25 lakh from Jeeva.
The scam reportedly took place during financial year 2021-22. More than Rs 97 crore granted by the state government under an employment scheme to the KBDC has been misappropriated in the names of 500 beneficiaries. The state government, upon learning of these irregularities, ordered a CID investigation in 2023.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)