KALABURAGI/BENGALURU: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will probe BJP worker Shivakumar Pujari’s death in Kalaburagi district on Thursday.
Shivakumar Pujari (38) from Shirolli, Chincholi taluk, died by suicide after releasing an audio clip on social media sites, in which he allegedly blamed Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil and Congress workers for his death. Shirolli is part of the Sedam assembly segment represented by Patil.
Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said the truth would come out after the probe. “We have ordered a CID probe and will know the truth after the probe,” the Home Minister said. The CID will also verify statements about the minister’s (Sharan Prakash Patil) involvement, he said.
No need for Patil to quit: Priyank
In Kalaburagi, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and Kalaburagi district-in-charge minister Priyank Kharge said the CID will probe all aspects of the case, including the audio clip.
Defending his cabinet colleague, Kharge said there was no need for Patil’s resignation from the cabinet. The family members lodged a complaint with the police and have not blamed anybody, he said, adding that the government would probe the case from all aspects.
Meanwhile, the opposition demanded Minister Patil’s resignation to ensure a fair investigation into the case. “I had resigned from the cabinet after I was named in a suicide note. I was proven innocent after the probe. Similarly, minister Patil should resign till the probe is completed,” said senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa.
Eshwarappa had resigned from the Basavaraj Bommai ministry after contractor Santosh Patil had named him before ending his life. That had caused a major embarrassment for the BJP and Congress had demanded Eshwarappa’s resignation. The BJP leader said Patil should think if he should continue as a minister when a person had named him before taking the extreme step.