Controversy over Karnataka IAS officer's death: As it happened

Bengaluru: IAS officer DK Ravi, who had taken on the sand mafia in Karnataka's Kolar district, was found dead in his official apartment on Monday evening. Here are live updates from the case:

• Refusing to yield to mounting pressure for a CBI probe into the mysterious death of Ravi, Karnataka Government announces a CID probe into his death.
• Cricketer Anil Kumble tweets: “Shocked by the death of this brave IAS officer Ravi. Hoping for justice! RIP...God give strength to family!”  
• Protest erupts over death DK Ravi, protesters vandalise property of local MLA in Kolar, Karnataka.
• Even if it was a suicide,there has to be a very strong reason behind it,that strong reason has to come out, says Ganesh K.
• "Why must there b so much corruption piled up for one honest officer to clean up? What were all his predecessors doing?.So called bureaucrats", Senior IPS officer Kiran Bedi tweets. 
• Mortal remains of DK Ravi are now being taken to his home town Tumkur, in Karnataka.  
• Meanwhile, in disturbing images, several Karnataka ministers were caught napping on camera inside the state Assembly while the House was discussing the death of IAS officer DK Ravi. Among the ministers caught napping were Minister for Forests and Environment B Ramanath Rai and Higher Education and Tourism Minister RV Deshpande.
• Karnataka BJP president Prahlad Joshi says Ravi was a dynamic and honest officer. “I don't think he can commit suicide. We cannot expect any justice from inquiry in Karnataka. I demand a CBI inquiry into this,” says Joshi.
• Meanwhile, mortal remains of late IAS officer DK Ravi have been brought to his residence in Bengaluru.
• Because a senior officer is involved, it is a serious issue. It has already been raised in Parliament - Kiren Rijiju (MoS Home)
• Request state government to look into the matter. If they need help from the Centre or want the CBI to investigate, will speak to Home Ministry on this - Gowda
• Everybody suspects it’s a cold-blooded murder, says Law Minister Sadananda Gowda. 
• Police is capable of investigating (the case); let us see if it is to be referred to the CID or CBI - Siddaramaiah
• Prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide. We do not know the exact cause of the death yet, says Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on IAS officer DK Ravi's death.
• Protests marked by stray incidents of stone-pelting have been reported from Kolar district where a bandh is currently underway.

• Investigation is on, no one needs to jump to any conclusion. No angle will be left untouched during probe - Reddi
• However, forensically, medically and from examination of location where the incident took place, prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide - Reddi
• DK Ravi was a very bold officer and it is natural for people to think he couldn't have committed suicide, says Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi.
• To clear the doubts, I think in this case we have no alternative but to go for a CBI enquiry, says BJP MLA Suresh Kumar.
• IAS officer DK Ravi, who had taken on the sand mafia as deputy commissioner of Kolar district, allegedly committed suicide on Monday. The body of the 35-year-old was found in his official apartment last evening.

Ravi was currently posted as Karnataka's Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Enforcement).

"Prime facie it appears to be a case of suicide, as Ravi's body was found hanging from a ceiling fan," Police Commissioner MN Reddi told reporters.

Ravi, a 2009 batch IAS officer, was posted as additional commissioner in the commercial tax department since November 2014 following his transfer from Kolar where he was deputy commissioner.

"Though we learnt about death late in the evening from his family members, Ravi could have committed suicide any time after 11 am, as he did not respond to calls since then. He was alone at home at that time," Reddi said.

The Bengaluru Police have set up a three-member Special Investigation Team headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Rohini Katoch to probe the case.

When Ravi's wife learnt that he did not go to office till lunch time and was not taking calls since noon, two-three department officials went to the apartment late afternoon to check if he was at home.

"As there was no response from inside, the flat was opened with a duplicate key his wife had," Reddi said.

The officials and Ravi's wife were shocked to see him hanging with a piece of cloth tied to the fan.

Ruling out foul play from the circumstances under which Ravi's body was found, Reddi said a forensic science team had visited the spot and conducted preliminary investigation for clues.

No suicide note was, however, found.

Police will check Ravi's mobile records, entries in the reception office of the apartment, which is in a gated community, and footage of the CCTV cameras in the vicinity to find out who all visited the place in the day earlier or recently.

"I have spoken to (Police) Commissioner and have asked him to investigate the matter completely," Karnataka Home Minister KJ George told reporters.

George, who visited the spot, however, did not comment on the nature and possible reasons behind the death.

"It has to be investigated... All angles will be looked into," he said when asked about reports that the officer faced threats to his life.

Ravi's work as Kolar Deputy Commissioner, especially action against the sand mafia, had earned him good name among the people, different organisations and citizens' groups who had called a district bandh following his transfer.

Meanwhile, a bandh has been called in Kolar in response to DK Ravi's death.

(With Agency inputs)