Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Nov 26: The unexpected death of IAS officer, D K Ravi, who had earned immense popularity during his stint as deputy commissioner of Kolar district, on March 16, 2015 under suspicious circumstances, was a case of suicide, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has concluded. His death had given rise to commotion, with thousands of villagers making a beeline to pay their last respects to the officer, whom they vouched to be a people-friendly officer.
No foul play
The CBI, to which the case was entrusted under pressure from various quarters to decide whether it was homicide, has concluded that there was no foul play, and the officer hanged himself, depressed over his inability to handle pressures of personal life.
The investigation report mentions about Ravi's closeness to a lady officer, who was his IAS batch-mate, that had raised a storm in his married life. He also had friendship with a massage girl in a five star hotel, and had investment in real estate business. The report mentions that Ravi had made preparations a few months in advance for ending his life.
As per the report, Ravi's wife, Kusuma, had fought with her husband on December 7, 2014, after coming to know his close proximity to a lady officer. It is said that she also sent Facebook message to the officer concerned, taking her to task. After this, family quarrels began to happen often. Ravi started pressurizing his wife to seek apology from the lady officer who had turned angry at this development, besides trying on his own to pacify the said IAS batch-mate.
Ravi had called the said officer, and as she did not respond, sent her several WhatsApp messages seeking apology from her. Reportedly, Ravi had also come close to a massage girl of Nagaland origin, and had extended financial assistance to her on a number of occasions. However, Ravi maintained integrity and sincerity in his professional life and functioned efficiently in commercial tax department, duly taking care to see that pressures of his personal life did not cast a shadow on his professional one. He acted strictly with real estate businessmen and travel agencies who failed to pay taxes promptly. He had also sent a proposal for the revival of Karnataka Public Lands Corporation of which he was in-charge.
Contacted friend for cyanide
It is said that the report also mentions about the fact that Ravi had contacted his friend, police sub-inspector, Shivaraj, and wholesale dealer in chemicals, Vasant, on November 27, 2014, seeking to get details about cyanide. When Shivaraj questioned the motive, Ravi reportedly told him that it was for treating crops that had been afflicted with some diseases in his native place. Vasant, whose reference was given to Ravi by Shivaraj, refused to supply cyanide, it is gathered. Ravi was in a depressed state of mind during the last few months, the report mentions. He often called the lady officer referred above, who had been married by then , and chatted with her for long on various issues bothering him. The last message sent by him was addressed to the said officer who was at New Delhi then, on March 13, the report notes.
It is said that Ravi got involved with real estate business with the help of his batch-mate, who was deputy commissioner of Chikkaballapur district then. He had borrowed Rs 2 crore from his father-in-law for this purpose, it is gathered.