Team News Riveting
Bengaluru, April 14
Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Minister KS Eshwarappa, who had been under fire over the death of a contractor and BJP member, today announced that he would be stepping down from the post.
Santhosh Patil, a BJP member and contractor, was found dead in an Udupi hotel weeks after he had levelled bribery charges against Eshwarappa and his close aides. Police investigating Santhosh’s death have named Eshwarappa as the first accused in the FIR on a complaint filed by Prashanth Patil, a relative of Santhosh.
The family members alleged that Santhosh Patil, who is also a BJP member from Belagavi, was not paid for works worth Rs 4 crore he had executed in Hindalaga village. Santhosh had invested in the project and was waiting for the payment. Santhosh had visited minister Eshwarappa several times and had pleaded with him to release the amount. But his close aides Basavaraj and Ramesh were demanding 40 per cent commission, the family members said in the complaint.
Eshwarappa, who had been insisting that he would not be stepping down, called for a sudden press conference today Shivamogga and announced that he would be going to Bengaluru on Friday to submit his resignation.
“Under Chief Minister Bommai’s leadership, I have worked as RDPR minister so far. But I have decided today that I am resigning from my position as minister,” Eshwarappa said, adding that he will hand in his resignation letter on Friday. “Even if I have done 1 per cent wrong, I pray to God to punish me. I have full faith that I will walk free from this episode. I have informed the Chief Minister that an investigation should happen and he has agreed,” he told reporters on Thursday.
