Eshwarappa gets clean chit, Congress calls it ‘B report’ to save dignity of K’taka govt

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 20 (ANI): After former Karnataka minister K S Eshwarappa got a clean chit from the Crime Investigation Department (CID) in contractor Santosh Patil suicide case, state Congress chief DK Shivakumar on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is covering up the bribery case of their leaders and the "B report' in Eshwarappa issue is a trick to maintain the dignity of the government.
Speaking to mediapersons, Shivakumar said, "During the investigation of the Santosh Patil suicide case, then Chief Minister Yediyurappa and Home Minister had already given a certificate that he would be acquitted. If the government says they are innocent before the investigation, there will be pressure on the investigators. B report has been submitted today to maintain the dignity of the government. Everyone knows the facts of this case."
"Ministers Govinda Karajola, Ramesh Jarakiholi, Murugesh Nirani had stated that Santosh Patil had completed the work. He wrote a letter to the Prime Minister and party leaders and stated his problem. Santosh Patil's wife has also written a letter to the Governor. However, the government has not been able to provide justice to them," he added.
The Congress leader said Santosh Patil was a BJP activist and the BJP government should be "ashamed" of covering up this case.
"He gave any B report and the people of the state know that this is a 40 per cent commission government. His own party leaders said this. There are reports that the rates are fixed for posts in government departments. Everyone knows that the President of the Contractors Association Kempanna wrote a letter to the Prime Minister," said Shivakumar.
He said people will not forgive the "40 per cent commission government". The Congress leader further said if a BJP worker does not get justice in the BJP government then how the common people will get the same.
He said that the BJP government is covering up the bribery case of their leaders.
Santosh Patil, a BJP leader and contractor was found dead in a lodge in Udupi on April 12. Patil had accused the then Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister KS Eshwarappa of corruption.
Following the row over his alleged role in the suicide of Patil, Eshwarappa tendered his resignation.
On Congress' protest on Thursday, Shivakumar said, 'The protest was organized to send a message against the harassment of Sonia Gandhi and we should all work to reassure our President. Even if our arrest is right, all MLAs will fight together in freedom Park to condemn the BJP government's stand of abuse of power." (ANI)