Bengaluru: Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj minister K S Eshwarappa, against whom police have booked a case for allegedly abetting the suicide of contractor Santosh Patil, submitted his resignation to CM Basavaraj Bommai.
As a political furore erupted, Eshwarappa had announced his resignation as minister. Eshwarappa’s supporters, who had gathered near the chief minister’s official residence, shouted slogans asking him not to resign, and against Congress leaders.
Santosh Patil, a Belagavi-based contractor, was found dead at a hotel in Udupi last week, weeks after accusing Eshwarappa, who is also a senior BJP leader, of corruption.
In a purported suicide note, Patil had blamed Eshwarappa for his death. Patil last month had complained to BJP central leaders stating that he was yet to be paid £400,000 for road works undertaken in Hindalga village and had accused Eshwarappa's aides of demanding 40 per cent commission for the release of the payment.
