DK Shivkumar presents Rs 11 lakh to Santosh Patil’s family in Belagavi

By NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar alleged that some individuals are trying to tarnish the image of Santosh Patil, a Belagavi based civil contractor who was found dead at a lodge in Udupi, after accusing RDPR Minister K.S.Eshwarappa of demanding 40 per cent commission for government projects.

“Such people are making charges against a dead man as they know he cannot come back and defend himself. There are records to show that Santosh had written to the Prime Minister’s Office and senior BJP leaders regarding the 40 per cent commission. This is enough to prove that he was a whistleblower”, Shivakumar told media persons in Belagavi on Tuesday.

The Congress leader handed over a cheque for Rs 11 lakh while former MP Prakash Hukkeri gave Rs 5 lakh as his personal contribution to the family of the deceased. Shivakumar said Santosh had constructed a small house and the housewarming (Gruha pravesha) cermony had not happened yet. It is intriguing how a brave person like him committed suicide, he remarked. On Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi’s statement that he would expose a ‘mahanayak’ behind the commission episode, Shivakumar wondered what was preventing him from disclosing the truth? Let Ramesh make all documents public, he added.