Bengaluru: The SIT probing the alleged scam in the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation has found that a senior CID official "harassed and tortured" one of the suspects.
Top sources confirmed the development to DH and said the Special Investigation Team submitted the probe report to the high court in the last week.
On November 22, 2024, Jeeva S, a 33-year-old businesswoman from Bengaluru, died by suicide at her Padmanabha Nagar home. She left behind an 11-page note on the “harassment and torture” by B M Kanaka Lakshmi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) with the Criminal Investigation Department.
It was alleged that the CID DySP made Jeeva remove her clothes and undergarments, asked her whether she was carrying cyanide and demanded a Rs 25-lakh bribe. Jeeva had attended the CID inquiry on November 14.
"Around 90% of the allegations levelled by the deceased suspect were proven during the probe," top sources told DH. "Probe by the SIT is complete."
SIT's major findings were that the DySP had committed "acts of omissions and commissions, there was fake paperwork and forgery of documents and that the direction of the investigation was intentionally turned personal".
The SIT also found the contents of Jeeva's interrogation video "matched with the note" left behind by her, the DySP violated court orders and the mahaazar was held at the wrong location. It was also alleged earlier that on November 21, the DySP visited Jeeva's shop in Bengaluru and humiliated her publicly.
After Jeeva's death, Banashankari police booked Lakshmi under Section 7 (offence relating to public servant being bribed) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and BNS Section 108 (abetment of suicide).
Soon after, the investigation was handed to the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of the Bengaluru police. Subsequently, the Karnataka High Court constituted a three-member SIT of senior IPS officers — Hakay Akshay Machhindra, Nisha James and CBI officer Vinayak Varma.
On March 11, the SIT arrested the CID DySP who was remanded in judicial custody. Her suspension was also recommended.
Report to the concerned court
The high court has asked the SIT to hand over a copy of the report to the Station House Officer (SHO) of the jurisdictional police station to be filed before the concerned court for legal proceedings.
The HC appreciated the SIT for a "fair investigation" and noted that "the manner in which the investigation was conducted is unique." "The appreciation so placed should not be mistaken to be on the merits of the investigation. It is only the manner in which the investigation is conducted," the court noted.