A probe must also appear to be impartial, so hand it over to CBI

Capt G R Gopinath, Pioneer of low-cost air sector
The death under mysterious circumstances of DK Ravi at his residence has roused emotions of the public and also raised suspicion that there could have been foul play. Supporters, close friends, associates and even his father have said that Ravi had made many enemies in the mining underworld and the builders lobby and are saying there could be foul play.Especially since there was no note left behind and as he was not under depression or known to have had marital discord and was a robust young man, there are grounds for suspicion that he was either murdered or his suicide abetted or that he took his life under blackmail by his enemies whom he had taken head-on. It is imperative that a thorough and impartial investigation is the need of the hour. The state government is digging its heels and hell-bent on investigating the death by its own detectives in the COD which reports to it. The CM is missing the point. Since foul play is suspected, and as is evident that many politicians of the ruling party have real estate interests, there are strong grounds to believe that a state supervised investigation may not be impartial. This is not to cast aspersions on the state police detectives but to highlight the fact that an inquiry by the state on itself may have no credibility. An impartial enquiry must not only be impartial but also appear so. It will be statesmanly and prudent on Siddaramaiah’s part to hand over the case to CBI which is now a much chastened organization after the Supreme Court interventions to ensure its autonomy. However if the state government feels that the CBI is the handmaiden of the Centre and remotely controlled by the BJP, as was the case under the Congress rule, it can appoint a judge to oversee the CBI probe. This is the least the state government can do to fulfil the wishes of the family and supporters of the courageous and honest officer.