The condition of S.P. Mahantesh, Deputy Director at the Directorate of Cooperative Audit, who was brutally attacked by unidentified miscreants on Palace Road Tuesday night, is improving.
However, he continues to be critical and is still on ventilator, said doctors at Mallige Hospital where he is undergoing treatment.
According to N. Ramesh, Administrative Official at the hospital, Mr. Mahantesh's blood pressure was under control on Friday. “Till yesterday, his BP was controlled by drugs.
Today, it is normal and this is an indication of his improvement,” he said.
A team of neurosurgeons comprising R.M. Verma, Ravi Gopal Varma and Tarakram Narayan are treating the official.
“Doctors do not see any need for a surgery right now. As the swelling in the brain following the severe head injury that he suffered still exists, he is being treated by anti-edema measures and antibiotics, apart from IV fluids. He has survived through the critical period and we are now hopeful he will be out of danger soon,” Mr. Ramesh added.
CBI probe
Meanwhile, Congress leader Mahima J. Patel visited the hospital to enquire about the official's health. Speaking to mediapersons outside the hospital, Mr. Mahima demanded a CBI inquiry into the attack.
“We suspect the official could have been attacked because he was in possession of vital documents pertaining to the alleged irregularities in the House Building Cooperatives Societies' scam. Although we have no evidence to directly link the attack to the above mentioned aspect, we suspect it could be the reason.”
The Congress leader from Davangere said Mr. Mahantesh was an honest official, who never cowed down to pressure.
‘Big scam'
“The extent of illegal land allotments of house building societies benefitted, among other influential people, political leaders across the spectrum and IAS and KAS officers.
This is bigger than the 2G scam, and hence the attack on this honest official needs to be investigated by an independent agency,” he added.
