The media and the Opposition, after the death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi, have left no stone unturned to fan the emotions of the public and create an atmosphere of hostility against the government, the State alleged before the High Court of Karnataka on Monday.
The government also termed a petition filed by Sudhir Reddy, the husband of the woman IAS officer who was Ravi’s batchmate, as “part of a politically motivated false propaganda.”
Making these submissions during the hearing of the petition, Advocate-General Ravivarma Kumar said the local and national media have gone berserk, and portraying that the truth was being suppressed to protect the people in power.
FINANCIAL DEALS BETWEEN THE WOMAN OFFICER, RAVI
- › The statement of the woman IAS officer, who was Ravi’s batchmate, discloses that there were financial transactions between the two, Advocate-General Ravivarma Kumar told the High Court. He said her statement disclosed that she and Ravi shared more than a cordial relationship that generally exists among batchmates…and the deceased [Ravi] wanted the relationship to progress into more than just friendship.
' PHONE DETAILS LEAKED TO MEDIA'
- › How did the selfies taken by the woman IAS officer, which is in custody of the investigating agencies, appear in newspapers? Sajan Poovayya, senior counsel appearing for the husband of the woman IAS officer, posed this question to the A-G, when the latter gave details of the SMSs and her statement to the CID, to the court. Selfies and accurate details of WhatsApp messages stored in her phone have been published in the media, said Mr. Poovayya, justifying the petitioner's plea for restraining authorities from leaking probe details.
CM TALKS TO RAJNATH SINGH
- › Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called Home Minister Rajnath Singh and informed him about the State’s decision to seek a CBI probe into the death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi. Mr. Singh is said to have assured that once the State sends an official request, the Union government would hand over the case to the CBI. The State is expected to send a formal request by Monday night.
Voluntary statement
The A-G claimed that neither the State nor the investigating agencies had revealed or released the investigating materials to the public and the media. He pointed out that the woman IAS officer had voluntarily given her statement to the CID and was not interrogated as reported in the media.
Clarifying to the court that the post-mortem report, which said that Ravi’s death was due to “asphyxia as a result of hanging”, Mr. Kumar said it was a case of suicide as per the materials revealed so far. He said the probe on other possibilities was still under way. Justice S. Abdul Nazeer, who is hearing the petition, adjourned further hearing till Tuesday.
Profile
- D.K. Ravi was born on 10 June, 1979.
- He completed his B.Sc. from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, and his M.Sc. from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.
- He was an IAS officer of the 2009 batch.
- He was first posted as Assistant Commissioner in Revenue Department, Gulbarga Sub-division. Later, he was a Chief Executive Officer in the Koppal Zilla Panchayat. He also served as a Deputy Commissioner in Kolar.
- From October 29, 2014, he was an Additional Commissioner in the Commercial Taxes Department in Bengaluru.
- Big cases: Cracked down on sand mafia in Kolar district Recovered encroached government land and tanks in Kolar Over the last two months 15 inspections on realty firms and leading private sector bank
- 9:30 am: D.K. Ravi leaves his father-in-law Hanumantharayappa’s house in Nagarabhavi, where he spent the weekend with wife Kusuma
- 10:20 am: Reaches office in his official car
- 11:15 am: Reaches flat in Prestige St. John’s Woods, Chikka Adugodi
- 4:30 pm: Kusuma, who is still in Nagarabhavi, calls driver to ask about Ravi’s whereabouts after failing to reach him on his number.
- 6:00 pm: Kusuma and her father reach Koramangala flat. She uses her spare key, opens the door and finds Mr. Ravi hanging from the ceiling fan in the bedroom.
- 6:30 pm: Police receives calls from family
- 10:15 pm: Body moved to Victoria Hospital
