IAS officer's death: Probe thoroughly

The untimely death of IAS officer D K Ravi is highly unfortunate.  Ravi’s death was particularly tragic as he was a promising no-nonsense officer who did not tolerate corruption and made it a point to go after lawbreakers, however powerful or influential they might be. No wonder, people of Kolar came to the streets in protest when he was transferred from that district.  Only a thorough investigation will reveal how exactly Ravi died. The Karnataka government and the police, in fact, should have held back their opinion on his death.  By remarking that he may have committed suicide for personal reasons, even before the investigation began, they may have prejudged its outcome. Hopefully, this will not come in the way of the officers who will get down to the job of nailing why Ravi died. Though the government has announced an inquiry into his death by the state CID, it should consider demands by several opposition politicians for a CBI investigation. After all, everyone is interested in the best-possible investigation by top notch investigators. Given its reputation, the CBI should be able to unravel the mystery behind his death.  Not that the CID is incapable, but it would show the government in a non-partisan light if the CBI is given the charge to investigate. The CBI is an external body, with no prior links to the officer and to the deceased officer’s circle of acquaintances, which would ensure that the probe is fair and impartial.

What makes Ravi’s death a mystery is because of his proactive role in development, in helping the poor and punishing wrongdoers wherever he was posted.  He took on the powerful sand mafia and the real estate lobby by organising raids and removing encroachments in several places. People around him have reportedly said he was not one to commit suicide as he exhibited great zest for life. This is the key reason for the air of disbelief surrounding his death. Everything now depends on the trajectory the investigation will take. Whoever is in charge of the inquiry should ensure that the best possible officers are put on the job so that there are no hiccups and the team is able to stand up to pressure of expectancy from the people at large and any vested interests which might not want the entire truth to come out.

The state government should also take measures to instil confidence and courage among bureaucrats, especially those who want to do good to the society and weed out the poison in the system. If at all there is one immediate lesson for the government, this is it.