FIR in Karnataka against top Congress leaders over protest at CM Bommai’s home

A first information report has been filed against former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, Randeep Surjewala and other Congress leaders after they a led a protest outside the residence of Basavaraj Bommai last week. The Congress leaders have been demanding the arrest of the BJP’s KS Eshwarappa who had quit last week amid protests against a contractor’s death.

The FIR has been filed over “unlawful assembly at the chief minister’s Race Course Road residence” on April 13, according to news agency ANI.

Eshwarappa, 73, has been accused of pushing contractor Santosh Patil to suicide, who was found dead in Udupi last Tuesday. In his purported sucide note, Patil had put the blame “directly” on the the BJP leader and two of his aides, accusing him of asking 40 per cent commision.

The Congress launched huge protests in the state capital city of Bengaluru last week, seeking the minister’s arrest even as the chief minister said they had no “moral right” to demonstrate.

DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah and other Congress leaders were also briefly detained last week. Later, the Congress held an overnight protest outside the Vidhan Soudha.

Eshwarappa resigned as the rural development and panchayat raj (RDPR) minister on Friday night. He is the second minister in the BJP government in Karnataka who had to resign in the last two-and-a-half years. Last year, Ramesh Jarkiholi had quit amid uproar over a CD case against him.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Shivakumar on Sunday alleged that corruption in Karnataka has reached the “highest level” and the Congress will launch a movement across the state to reach to expose the “corruption” under the BJP regime. He also said that the party wants the high court to intervene in the case and ensure that justice is delivered to the family of Santosh Patil, who prior to his death had made serious charges of corruption against Eshwarappa.

(With inputs from ANI, PTI)