Bengaluru Cop Accused Of Stripping Businesswoman Who Died By Suicide

She stripped her, demanded a bribe of Rs. 25 lakh, and humiliated her in front of everyone – these are the charges listed against a senior police officer in Bengaluru accused of abetting the death by suicide of 33-year-old businesswoman S Jeeva. The Bangalore police has registered a case against Deputy Superintendent of Police Kanakalakshmi and an investigation is underway.

S Jeeva was found dead at her residence. She left an 11-page death note behind, accusing the Crime Investigation Department (CID) officer of harassing her.

S Jeeva ran a wood material shop in Bengaluru and was also a lawyer. She died by suicide last Friday (November 22). Jeeva's sister S Sangeeta filed a complaint with the police, blaming Deputy Superintendent of Police Kanakalakshmi for the death.

S Jeeva was one of the accused in the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation scam, involving misuse of funds meant for loans to the Bhovi community members under a job scheme. CID was given charge of the case. The Karnataka High Court had allowed CID to question S Jeeva over video conferencing between November 14 and November 23. But the CID ordered her to appear in person.

On November 14, S Jeeva presented herself at the CID office where she was harassed, stripped and interrogated on whether she was carrying cyanide. According to her note, the police officer demanded a Rs 25 lakh bribe and refused to accept Jeeva's submitted documents.

The harassment allegedly continued for the next few days. According to the FIR, the police officer visited S Jeeva at her shop and humiliated her in front of her employees.