Clean chit to Cong MLA in PSI suicide case once again proves Siddaramaiah govt is 'anti-Dalit': K'taka BJP

Bengaluru, April 19 (IANS) Karnataka BJP questioning the closure report against the Congress MLA in connection with the suicide case of Dalit Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Parashuram, pulled up Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Saturday.

The Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, commenting on the development, questioned Home Minister Parameshwara, “When people from your own community are falling prey to the government’s injustice, doesn’t it stir your conscience?”

Home Minister Parameshwara hails from the Dalit community.

Ashoka stated, “In the case of PSI Parashuram's suicide in Yadgir, Channagiri Congress MLA Channareddy Patil Tunnur, who was an accused, has been let off through a CID B-report -- once again proving that the anti-Dalit Siddaramaiah government neither protects nor stands by Dalits.”

“In the Valmiki Nigam scam, a Dalit officer, Chandrashekaran, was sacrificed, and the case was conveniently handed over to a namesake SIT investigation just to suppress it. Now, in the case of PSI Parashuram, who fell victim to the transfer mafia in the Home Department, this anti-Dalit Congress-led Karnataka government is trying to cover it up as well,” Ashoka charged.

Addressing Home Minister Parameshwara, Ashoka reiterated, “When people from your own community are falling prey to the government’s injustice, doesn’t it stir your conscience? Have you forgotten your humanity? The community is waiting to see whether you’ll bring down this corrupt Chief Minister and stand with Dalits.”

“It’s time you respond,” he demanded.

The CID investigating the case had submitted a closure report in the case, giving a clean chit to the accused Congress MLA. The family and wife of PSI have expressed outrage regarding the development. His wife, Shwetha, stated that the authorities are claiming that they had lodged a false case. “My PSI husband had many times shared that he is pressured by the Congress MLA,” she said.

The suspicious death of the 35-year-old PSI Parashuram at his residence in Yadgir city of Karnataka had stirred a major controversy in September 2024 in Karnataka, as his family has alleged mental torture by a local Congress MLA and his son.

The family alleged that Parashuram had given Rs 30 lakh for a posting at the Yadgir city police station to the MLA.

However, before he completed one year, Parashuram was transferred to the cybercrime police station.

The MLA had allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh more from the SI to allow him to continue his posting at the Yadgir city police station.

The deceased officer’s wife, Shwetha, has lodged a police complaint against MLA Channareddy Patil Tunnur and his son Pampanna Gouda, holding them responsible for the death of her husband.

The Congress government in Karnataka had announced Rs 50 lakh compensation and a government job for the family of the Police Sub-Inspector Parashuram. The government ruled out the possibility of handing over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Karnataka BJP has sought the Governor’s intervention in the case. Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Legislative Council, Chalavadi T Narayanaswamy, has written a letter to the Governor asking him to take cognisance of the death of Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) Parashuram, a Dalit.

The Union Home Ministry had asked the Karnataka government to submit a report through the Chief Secretary, in connection with the suspicious death case of a Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) hailing from a scheduled caste community.

The action was initiated after Union Minister of State for Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises and Labour and Employment, Shobha Karandlaje, wrote a letter to the Union Home Ministry. She had alleged that the PSI death case was not being investigated fairly.

--IANS

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