Yadgir (Karnataka), 3 Aug

A case was registered by the police against Congress MLA Channareddy Tannur and his son Pampanagouda Tannur on Saturday after a Dalit sub-inspector allegedly died by suicide, following his transfer within seven months of posting.

With the issue snowballing into a major controversy, the State government handed over the probe to the CID, top sources in the Home Department told PTI. The MLA and his son were booked on charges of intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace, abetment of suicide and joint criminal liability on a complaint by Parusharam’s wife Shwetha N V.

She alleged that the father-son duo had allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh from her husband if he wished to continue in the same place. Shwetha said Parashuram was in tears ever since he was transferred and told her that he felt suicidal.

When Shwetha, who is pregnant, went to Raichur to her parents’ house for the delivery of her child, she got to know that Parashuram was hospitalised with bleeding from his nose and mouth.

Following the incident, members of the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) staged a demonstration blocking the road demanding justice for Parashuram. Shwetha too joined the agitators.

Addressing media, she said the police department was supporting the MLA and not her husband. “The department itself is not with him today. Instead it is supporting the MLA. It supports the one who squanders money. It pays money to him and supports him. How much money you want to feed him? Will you rear an MLA? Do you toil day and night ignoring your parents and family for an MLA? This MLA is responsible for it but he has not come here yet. I want an FIR. We want justice,” Shwetha said. Traffic was badly affected due to the agitation.

Reacting to the incident, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that he has ordered a thorough investigation into the case. He, however, ruled out that it was a suicide. “He (Parashuram) did not commit suicide. He had not written any death note. His wife has complained that she was suffering from the transfer issue. I will consider his allegation. Investigation will be done in that dimension,” the Minister told reporters in Bengaluru.

He said that the police were collecting preliminary information and conduct an investigation.

The incident took a political turn with opposition BJP and the JD(S) slamming the government for pushing sincere officers towards suicide. “A police sub-inspector from your community has died by suicide. Why did he do that? His wife alleges that he took the extreme step because he failed to pay Rs 25 lakh as bribe to the MLA,” Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy said at the launch of ‘Mysuru Chalo’ march jointly organised by the BJP and JD(S) in Bengaluru.

He wondered if this is how Parameshwara would pay tribute to Dr BR Ambedkar. In his reaction, Parameshwara said he goes by the law and not his community.

The BJP leaders said earlier Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation Accounts Superintendent, Chandrasekharan P died by suicide.

Chandrasekharan in his suicide note explained the illegal transfer of Rs 187 crore, which led to the arrest of the former Minister B Nagendra, and 12 other government and Union Bank of India officers.