A civil contractor in Namakkal, whose premises were among those searched by Income Tax sleuths during the crackdown on State Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar last month, died at Sevutranganpatti in Mohanur on Monday.
He was found unconscious in his farm house and was shifted to hospital, where doctors declared he was brought dead.
K. R. Subramaniam (58), who executed various government projects, is believed to have been a close acquaintance of Mr Vijaya Baskar. Police suspect that he committed suicide.
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On April 7, an eight-member team of the IT Department conducted searches at the house of Subramaniam at Teachers Colony in Namakkal. Since he was away in Switzerland, sleuths handed over the summons to his son Sabari (24), and asked Subramaniam to appear in their Chennai office . Subramaniam appeared before the officials on May 4.
Police sources said Subramaniam reached his farm house in his car at 8 a.m on Monday and went around the farm.
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‘Going to sleep’
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Later, he informed his building supervisor Vadivel that he is going to sleep in the house. At 9.50 a.m. when Subramaniam’s wife Santhi (52), called him over mobile phone, he did not answer the call.
Ms. Santhi then asked Mr. Vadivel to check the house. Mr. Vadivel found Subramaniam unconscious and with the help of neighbours took him to a private hospital and later to the Government District Head Quarters Hospital in Namakkal, where doctors declared him “brought dead”.
No suicide note
Preliminary inquiries by Mohanur police revealed that he consumed poison. However, no suicide note was recovered from the house. Based on a complaint from his son, Mr. Sabari, the police registered a case under Section 174 (death under suspicious circumstances) of CrPC.
A post mortem was performed and the body handed over to the relatives in the evening.
Construction projects
Subramaniam operated a construction company in the name of his daughter, and had undertaken construction work in government hospitals and medical colleges across the State. Sources said that he was initially involved in small building projects.
After becoming a close associate of the Health Minister, he got contracts to execute major government projects in the Health Department. He was lately involved in constructing the Government Medical College and Hospital in Pudukottai district.
Subramaniam is survived by his wife, son and daughter Abirami (30) who was married to Aravind of Salem. Aravind was also looking after some construction activities.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)