Ramesh, G Parameshwara's aide, was found hanging from a tree at the Bengaluru University campus.
Highlights
- Police said reason for Ramesh's alleged suicide is not clear
- He was personal assistant of former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister
- He was not among those who were searched by income tax officials
The personal assistant of former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has allegedly committed suicide in Bengaluru. The aide was not among those who were searched by Income Tax officials as they conducted huge raids at multiple places linked to the senior Congress leader on Thursday and Friday, sources in the tax department said.
The police said that the reason for Ramesh's alleged suicide is not clear. "He was with me during the raids. I had told him nothing will happen and not to worry. He was a soft-spoken man. I don't know why he committed suicide. It's unfortunate that this happened," Mr Parameshwara said.
Rs. 4.25 crore in cash was found during the raids at over 30 locations in Bengaluru and Tumakuru linked to Mr Parameshwara and his associates, officials said on Friday.
The raids were in connection with an alleged multi-crore tax evasion case linked to medical entrance exams, officials said.
Mr Parameshwara's aide was found hanging from a tree at the Bengaluru University campus in Bengaluru on Saturday morning.
G Parameshwara was the Deputy Chief Minister in HD Kumaraswamy's JD(S)-Congress coalition government.
In coordinated raids, more than 300 Income Tax officials searched premises linked to two prominent Congress leaders in Karnataka - Mr Parameshwara and former MP RL Jalappa.
The raids were conducted based on a tip-off that medical seats were being sold at the rate of Rs. 50 lakh to Rs. 60 lakh for undeserving candidates, sources in the Income Tax department said. The massive search, they said, has resulted in the seizure of cash and incriminating documents proving the alleged irregularities in medical admissions.
The house of Mr Parameshwara's brother's son, Anand, and Siddhartha Medical College were searched by the tax department on Friday. The college is run by a trust related to the former minister.
While Mr Parameshwara's family runs the Siddhartha Group of Institutions, which was established by his father HM Gangadharaiah 58 years ago, Congress leader Mr Jalappa's son Rajendra runs the RL Jalappa Institute of Technology in Doddaballapura and Kolar.
G Parameshwara was the Deputy Chief Minister in HD Kumaraswamy's JD(S)-Congress coalition government that collapsed in July after losing the trust vote in the assembly.