Karnataka revenue officer Bhima Naik was arrested on Sunday for abetting the suicide of his driver, who had accused him of helping mining baron G. Janardhan Reddy convert Rs. 100 crore of black money for his daughter’s wedding, said police.
KC Ramesh Gowda, Naik’s driver had named former minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and KAS officer in his suicide note. Naik and his current driver Mohammed were arrested in Gulbarga on Sunday morning.
“Mandya Police team has arrested Bheema Naik and Mohammed from a relative’s house today,” police said.
“Naik and Mohammed are being brought to Mandya under escort from Kalaburgi for interrogation by the CID to which the case has been transferred as it involves money laundering charge too,” the SP said.
Ramesh Gowda had claimed that Reddy had converted close to Rs. 100 crore of black money into white, paying 20 per cent commission to senior government officer. According to his suicide note, Gowda was also receiving regular death threats because he had information on how Reddy had converted his money.
The six-page suicide note lists 19 points, which detail the illegal transactions that were allegedly handled by Naik. “The special team is yet to officially take charge of the probe .The necessary procedures will be completed in a day or two. Naik has been absconding since the news of Ramesh’s suicide broke out,” a senior CID official said.
The team is likely to be headed by IPS officer Sonia Narang.
Karnataka is governed by the Congress. Mr Reddy was a minister in the BJP government of BS Yeddyurappa. He was removed after corruption charges in 2011.
The wedding of his daughter Brahmani was attended by at least 50,000 guests, which included top leaders of both the Congress and the BJP.
The estimated cost of the wedding — the site of which was decorated with replicas of famous temples — varied from Rs. 30 crore to Rs. 50,000 crore.
