It’ll be a long list of suspects for CBI

Bengaluru: With the state government handing over the probe into the mysterious death of IAS officer D.K. Ravi to the CBI, the focus has shifted on the investigation that will be carried out by the CBI. However, it will take a few days for the CBI to launch the probe. It is also likely that the state government will be embarrassed as the CBI may summon family members of some of the ministers.

As per procedure, the Chief Secretary of the state will write to the union home ministry stating that the case has been handed over to the CBI. The home ministry, in turn, will forward the case to the CBI headquarters, which will then depute a team to probe the case.

In all probability, it will take two to three days for the CBI to launch the investigation. It is most likely that the Chennai branch of the CBI will be directed to probe the case, as the Special Crime Branch that investigates serious, sensational and organised crime is located there. There are also chances of the case being handed over to the CBI Bengaluru branch. Top officials of the premier investigating agency will take a decision on this.

Soon after a team is formed, they will register a fresh FIR in the CBI designate court and start the probe. They will collect information from the local police and the CID, which probed the case till now, and will launch their own investigation into the case.

The CBI will investigate the case from various angles, starting with the question whether it was a suicide or a murder. There is a possibility that the government may be embarrassed by the CBI probe, as investigators may subject some MLAs, ministers and their family members to questioning as part of the probe.

Sand, land mafia

Mr Ravi, as Kolar deputy commissioner, had acted tough against sand mafia in the district. He had also taken tough decisions against some real estate sharks, who had encroached upon government lands and evicted encroachers. He had faced off local MLAs and was a target of threats from those involved in sand and land mafia. This angle will be probed by the CBI.

Threats from top builders

After taking charge as Additional Commissioner of Commercial Tax (Enforcement), Mr Ravi had raided several top real estate companies, in which some politicians have stakes. Unconfirmed reports said that he had received threat calls from some builders and politicians. In some cases, family members of some ministers had also allegedly pressured him not to act against some companies. The CBI team is likely to question some ministers and their family members in this regard. Some of Mr Ravi’s colleagues will also be interrogated.

Family dispute, love angle

As per the investigation of the CID, it was the family dispute and an extra-marital affair with his batchmate IAS officer that drove Mr Ravi to suicide. To probe this angle, the CBI sleuths will interrogate his wife Kusuma, father-in-law Hanumantharayappa, parents and the woman IAS officer. Mr Hanumantharayappa is himself a big time realtor.

The CBI will pull out the phone call details of the officer and zero in on several callers and subject them to interrogation. In that case, even MLAs of Kolar will be questioned.

R.K. Dutta factor

Another factor that reportedly bothered the state government in handing over the case to the CBI is Mr R.K. Dutta, who is the Additional Director of the CBI. As the government denied the post of state DG&IGP to Mr. Dutta, it is assumed that Mr Dutta would create trouble for some of the ministers in the state, according to insiders in the ruling party. The other factor is that the BJP government at the Centre controls the CBI.