Controversy over DK Ravi's death: As it happened on Wednesday

Bengaluru: Refusing to yield to mounting pressure for a CBI probe into the mysterious death of an upright IAS officer DK Ravi, the Karnataka Government yesterday announced a CID probe into his death that evoked nation-wide outrage and protests. Amid raging controversy over his mysterious death, a social activist and whistleblower on Wednesday claimed that the former was planning raids on some big developers to unearth commercial tax evasion.

Here are the Live Updates:

• IAS officer DK Ravi’s family protests outside Karnataka Assembly, alleges foul play
• DK Ravi is one of those vanishing tribes of few courageous, efficient & honest officers in the country: Kiran Bedi
• We urged Rajnath Singh to constitute a CBI inquiry into DK Ravi's death case, says Ananth Kumar, BJP
• We met Rajnath Singh and apprised him of situation in Karnataka, says Sadananda Gowda

• BJP delegation led by Union Law Minister Sadananda Gowda
• Karnataka BJP delegation meets Home Minister Rajnath Singh demanding CBI probe into DK Ravi's death
• He can't commit suicide, says his father-in-law Hanumantharayappa
• Ravi was under pressure to give favours but he refused to budge, says his father-in-law Hanumantharayappa
• Lawyers in Bengaluru protest against Congress govt over DK Ravi's death, demand CBI probe
• When a report comes from the State Govt we will look into it: Kiren Rijiju, MoS (Home)
• If post-mortem reports hints at suicide then we want to know reasons behind that too: Jagadish Shettar
• We haven't alleged anything against CM, just want to know the reason behind an honest officer's death: Jagadish Shettar, ex-Karnataka CM
• State govt is probing Ravi's death, if people are not satisfied with it then case should be given to CBI: Rajeev Shukla, Congress
• Karnataka Govt should hand it over to CBI: Hegde
• A serious matter like this requires high level investigation, says Hegde
• I certainly see some foul play behind Ravi's death, CBI should investigate it: Santosh Hegde
• DK Ravi's family alleges foul play, demands CBI probe, claim media reports
• BJP members protest demanding CBI inquiry into DK Ravi's death case
• Uproar in Karnataka Assembly; JDS, BJP MLAs demand CBI inquiry into DK Ravi death case
• Karnataka CM is running away from CBI inquiry: Kumaraswamy
• CBI inquiry is not the demand of the Opposition but people of Karnataka: HD Kumaraswamy
• We are not alleging anything against the Govt, we want a CBI inquiry: HD Kumaraswamy

• CM Siddaramaiah has said impartial inquiry is being conducted, we will proceed according to the reports: Karnataka Minister Roshan Baig

• If the report given by State CID is not satisfactory, then the case can be referred to CBI: PC Chacko
• Don't think demand of CBI inquiry into DK Ravi's death case is justified until State CID completes its investigation: PC Chacko, Congress
• We'll apprise Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh of the matter, says Sadananda Gowda
• State Govt must refer the matter to CBI: Sadananda Gowda
• People feel CM, state govt cannot conduct free & fair investigation: Sadananda Gowda
• DK Ravi's death case has created suspicion in people's mind: Sadananda Gowda
• DK Ravi was an honest officer, If Karnataka CM is really honest, he should refer this matter to CBI: BS Yeddyurappa, BJP
• The way in which our CM visited the place where post-mortem was conducted, people are feeling that CM went there to influence the officers: Kumaraswamy
• We will continue our protest until Govt orders CBI inquiry into DK Ravi's death case: HD Kumaraswamy, JDS
• Ravi was looking at raiding some big developers in Bangalore and wanted to recover the evasion of taxes, claims Koundiny
• Social activist Ganesh S Koundiny claims that Ravi had recovered an income tax of Rs 400 crore from housing societies soon after taking over as Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Enforcement) in October last year.
• DK Ravi was buried at his native Doddakoppalu village in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district on Wednesday morning.

DK Ravi committed suicide or murdered?

The 35-year-old IAS officer DK Ravi's death rocked the Karnataka Assembly on Tuesday with public pressure also building up for a CBI probe, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the Crime Investigation Department would probe the case to unravel the "truth"--whether it was a suicide or murder or due to "some other" reasons.

"Is it a suicide or a murder or has he died of some other reasons, we also want to know the truth. People should also know it," Siddaramaiah told the assembly, asserting that the city police were also efficient, as the Opposition insisted on a CBI probe and stormed into the well of the House.

The Opposition protest led to adjournment in the pre-lunch session and after the House reassembled, BJP and JDS MLAs continued their dharna. Speaker Kagodu Thimappa then adjourned the House for the day, but BJP said its members would sit through the night till the demand for CBI probe was met.

Protests marked by sporadic incidents of stone pelting erupted in Kolar district, where Ravi, before being moved to Bengaluru, had served as Deputy Commissioner, taking on sand mafia and striking a chord with people with a pro-poor image.

Angry protesters in Kolar stoned the house of local MLA Varthur Prakash and blocked a National Highway placing burning tyres before being chased away by police. Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi said that forensically, medically and examination of the situation all point to "prima facie understanding of a suicide."

He said Ravi, found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at his official flat here yesterday, was a "bold officer" and it was natural for people to think he was not a person to have committed suicide.

But, he added, "let us wait for the medical report...No single angle will be untouched.... Every angle will be covered. "We have not found any suicide note as of now and prima facie, we don't see any room for foul play," he said.

Reddi said police would examine the CCTV footage from the apartment complex and analyse Ravi's mobile records. Thousands of people turned up on the road leading to Ravi's native village Doddekopalu in Tumakuru district, as they bade an emotional farewell when his body was taken for last rites. Ravi hailed from an agriculturist's family.

Earlier, a statement by Home Minister K J George in the Assembly that some clues had been obtained by police in their preliminary probe that there could be "some personal reasons" for the suicide evoked protests from the opposition.

Ravi, a Karnataka cadre officer of 2009 batch, who had taken on the sand mafia in Kolar district, had cracked down on "biggies" in real estate and tax evaders in Bengaluru, plunging into action soon after he became the Additional Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in October.

As the Assembly was adjourned amid opposition dharna, senior BJP leader R Ashoka announced they would continue it through the night and till their demand for CBI probe was conceded.

Reacting to BJP's stand, Siddaramaiah later accused the opposition party of politicising the issue. He said he had requested them to give up dharna and take part in the discussions. In the Assembly, Opposition BJP leader Jagadish Shettar questioned the "haste" with which police concluded that it was a case of suicide without waiting for the post-mortem report.

Karnataka Police yesterday announced a special investigation team, headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) Rohini Katoch,a medical doctor by qualification, to probe the case.