The Karnataka High Court restrained the state government from publishing any interim report of CID into the “unnatural death” of IAS officer D K Ravi, as protests raged for the sixth consecutive day demanding a CBI probe into it.
The court order came at a special hearing at the residence of Justice Abdul Nazeer, ahead of the announcement tomorrow by the government of its stand on the issue of referring the case, now being probed by CID, to the CBI.
The government was reportedly toying with the idea of making public an interim report of the CID in the Assembly.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi had on Friday advised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to order a CBI probe into the case that has stirred strong public sentiments, as Ravi had the image of being a gutsy officer who had taken on the sand and land mafia and tax evaders.
“The respondents are restrained from making or publishing any interim report or making any public statement pertaining to investigation being conducted with regard the unnatural death of Ravi, pending disposal of this writ petition,” Justice Abdul Nazeer said.
The judge’s order came on a petition filed by one Sudhir Reddy, seeking restriction of publication of any interim report or making any public statement pertaining to investigation being conducted by the government through CID.
The respondents in the case are the government represented by Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee. Additional Chief Secretary (Home), DGP and IGP Omprakash and CID, which is investigating Ravi’s death.
But, the Judge clarified “This, however will not prevent the respondents from continuing with the investigation.”
Justice Nazeer also summoned the respondents to appear before the court tomorrow for further hearing.
Meanwhile, the chorus for CBI probe into the death of the 35-year-old officer, found hanging in his flat here on March 16, continued with protests by public and opposition parties snowballing.
Sustaining the pressure on the government, Opposition BJP held a day-long dharna here that was attended by party’s national Vice President and former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, Union Minister Ananth Kumar, State President Prahlad Joshi, Opposition Leader Jagdish Shettar and others.
People from different walks of life in the city also staged a separate protest demanding justice for Ravi that turned out be purely a public event with no political tag.
Protests were also held by various organisations in Tumakuru, Ravi’s native district, and Kolar, where he had become very popular as Deputy Commissioner, among other places. Shettar said, We have already stalled the proceedings in both Assembly and Council; if the Chief Minister doesn’t announce a CBI inquiry (tomorrow) we will continue doing so.”
“We have already declared that from March 24 we will start padyatra from Ravi’s village (to Bengaluru), so our agitation will continue and we will continue to stall the proceeding of the House until they order CBI inquiry, he said.
The former chief minister alleged that Siddaramaiah is hesitant to hand over the case to CBI with an intention to protect ‘vested interest.’
While police suspected it to be a prima facie case of suicide, there has been a clamour for CBI probe from Opposition parties and the family of Ravi.
The state government has handed over the probe to CID.
Facing increasing heat over the demand for a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Ravi, Siddaramaiah had yesterday asserted that the government was not protecting anybody and would make its stand known in the Assembly tomorrow.
Meanwhile speaking to a TV channel here, Ravi’s father-in-law Hanumantharayappa reiterated the family’s wish that the case be transferred to CBI.
He said “I have come to know that government has decided to hand over the probe to CBI. Once the state government has decided about it I don’t think there is a need for interim or a final report (CID).”
“Truth has to come out, there should be no attempt to malign the name of my son-in-law who was an honest an upright officer, this is the wish of the people of the state as well,” Hanumantharayappa said.
If complete truth has to come out and if the state government has decided about CBI inquiry we don’t want any interim or final report (CID); let government directly transfer all documents and announce CBI probe in Vidhana Sabha tomorrow. This will will at-least do some sort of justice, he added.
