Bengaluru: The family of DK Ravi, the IAS officer found hanging in his home in Bengaluru last week, has alleged that vital CCTV footage has been deleted by investigators.
DK Ravi's father-in-law Hanumantharayappa said the missing footage could have helped identify those who visited the officer's apartment in the hours before his death.
He has accused the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of deleting the footage.
"Five-six days back the CID came to my home and collected CCTV footage. When they returned the instrument, I realized that all visuals from before 10.30 am last Monday have been deleted," Mr Hanumantharayappa told NDTV.
It was around that time that the 36-year-old officer was found hanging by his wife's sari from a ceiling fan in his apartment in an upscale part of Bengaluru.
"They (CID) are telling me that they have taken a copy of the footage and deleted it in my instrument before returning it. Why would they do that?" asked Mr Hanumantharayappa.
CID sources say the footage has been preserved for investigation.
Opposition parties have accused the state government of a cover-up and call the CID's investigation a sham. Giving in to intense political pressure, the government on Monday turned over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI.
DK Ravi was known to be an honest officer who took on the powerful sand mafia in Kolar about 100 km from the state capital, despite many threats to his life.
A statement by the police that it "prima facie appears to be suicide" had led to angry protests by the officer's family, friends and opposition parties.
Earlier this week, the Karnataka High Court stopped the government from making public the CID's initial report, based on a petition by the husband of a batchmate of the officer.
The woman was the last to have been in touch with DK Ravi, according to reports. After his death became public, she reportedly called the police and volunteered information.
Sources say DK Ravi sent the woman a text message that is likely to be treated as his suicide note.
The court was told of several messages and calls from the officer to the woman, but his family says the investigation has not been fair.