Contractor death case: Eshwarappa rules out resigning, calls for probe

Karnataka Minister KS Eshwarappa on Wednesday ruled out resigning from the cabinet amid the oppositions demand for his resignation and arrest over a case related to the death of a contractorThere is no question of me resigning from the post of Minister because of any reason I have informed CM Bommai and the party president that there is no question of me resigning as a minister said KS Eshwarappa Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat RajDemanding an investigation into the matter Eshwarappa termed the incident a conspiracyThe conspiracy behind the death should be probed Did he die on his own or for some other reason must be investigated Eshwarappa saidContractor Santosh Patil who died by suicide has purportedly left a WhatsApp message alleging corruption by EshwarappaThe Minister defended himself by saying that no death note was found near the body and questioned the legality of considering a WhatsApp messageDenying any relation to the contractor Minister added Officially no work order has been issued to himI have not seen his Santosh Patil face but as you reporters are saying that he often travelled to Delhi It should be probed who booked his flight tickets and whyAs opposition Congress launched a scathing attack on the Minister over the alleged death by suicide Eshwarappa said I want to ask the Congress did you when in power release payment without a work orderCongress leaders Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar know nothing Whatsaap message cannot be taken as a death note said EshwarappaThe contractor had earlier alleged that Eshwarappa demanded commission for the release of funds for the civil works undertaken by him at Hindalga village in Belagavi district ahead of a festivalThe 37yearold contractor allegedly committed suicide in a lodge in Udupi on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday by consuming some poisonous substance according to policeThe brother of the deceased contractor Santosh Patil on Wednesday demanded the arrest of KS Eshwarappa and his close aides Ramesh and BasawarajMeanwhile the Karnataka Congress delegation led by state party chief DK Shivakumar and former chief minister Siddaramaiah met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot demanding the expulsion of Eshwarappa from the state cabinet as well as his arrest over the contractors deathFIR lodged against KS Eshwarappa He and the other accused should be immediately arrested a case must be filed under the corruption act In his text message deceased contractor Santosh Patil clearly blamed Eshwarappa for his death The Minister and his PAs demanded 40 per cent commission He wrote to PM Modi and met BL Santhosh and others He categorically mentioned corruption We demand that the case must be filed under the corruption act he saidReferring to the purported social media message the Congress leader said In his WhatsApp message he clearly said that Eshwarappa is responsible for his death So Eshwarappa must be arrestedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever