Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Oct 15: Suicide committed by former deputy chief minister, Dr G Parameshwara's personal assistant, Ramesh, is turning murkier by the day with rumours and unsubstantiated information coming out at regular intervals.
It is said that Ramesh was not aware about the assets standing in his name. He was overwhelmed by the fear of having to go to jail after the income tax raid revealed that without his knowledge, assets worth crores of rupees had been registered in his name and he was dismayed at having to go to prison if he would be unable to explain how he earned so much money. Some say that there is possibility of signatures of Ramesh having been taken on blank documents and sheets of paper apart from PAN number, Aadhaar details and voter identity card, and he was kept in the a dark when these documents were used.
Sources claim that Ramesh did not have knowledge about the properties standing in his own name. Many suspect that he was perturbed at having to lose his standing in the society if he is jailed even for a short period. It is claimed that assets standing in Ramesh's name amount to over a hundred crore rupees, and Ramesh was overtaken by the fear after the income tax officials began investigation. When questioned by officials, he reportedly failed to answer many questions and he turned jittery at having to face problems on the lines of Shivakumar, it is said.
There are chances of such properties having been registered in the names of some other people too, sources suspect. Therefore, several employees working under Parameshwara are said to be in a dilemma over the investigation.
In the meantime, two more people close to Parameshwara, Muniramayya and Shivakumar, appeared before income tax authorities on Monday October 14 for interrogation. Muniramayya said that Shivakumar appeared for questioning session while he has sought a week's time because of ill health. It is said that during the raid on Parameshwara, income tax officials had come to know about Benami properties having been registered in the names of relatives and close ones, including Muniramayy and Shivakumar.
In the meantime, the police who have begun investigation into Ramesh's suicide, have pooled information about the calls made and received by Ramesh during the two-hour period preceding his death. They have asked the concerned people to appear before them. They are also examining in detail the contents of a letter left behind by Ramesh in a car. Forensic science laboratory officials had visited the spot and their report is awaited.