Sadananda Gowda seeks AG's view on ordering CBI probe

Union Law Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday sought the opinion of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi on whether the Central government could order a CBI probe into the mysteries death of D K Ravi, as he belongs to Indian Administrative Service under the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

Gowda, who held a meeting with officials of his ministry, is likely to submit the views of the AG to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for further action, sources told Deccan Herald. Separately, Gowda led a delegation of Union ministers from the State and BJP MPs to Singh and urged him to take steps to hand over the probe the CBI.

Singh assured the delegation that he would suggest the Congress government in Karnataka to hand over the probe to the central investigating agency. Accepting a memorandum, Singh said he would seek a detailed report from the State government.

Gowda, Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar and Minister of State for Heavy Industries G M Siddeshwara, members of Parliament B S Yeddyurappa, Pralhad Joshi and others urged Singh that considering the sensitivity of the case, the Centre should advise the State to hand over the case for CBI probe.

The leaders feared that the Congress government in Karnataka may try to hush up the case by making it look like a suicide. So the Centre should intervene.

Gowda told reporters, “The Home Minister said that he will a get report as early as possible and advise the State to hand over the probe to CBI”.

People of the State will not be satisfied if the investigation is conducted by the State government. To avoid all this confusion, it is fair for it to refer the matter to CBI,” Gowda said.