IAS officer DK Ravikumar was found dead in his apartment in Bengaluru.
The Karnataka High Court today barred the state government from making public any interim report on the probe into the "unnatural death" of IAS officer DK Ravikumar. The order comes a day after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the government's stand on the case would be made known in the Assembly on Monday after tabling the preliminary report.
"The respondents are restrained from making or publishing any interim report or making any public statement pertaining to investigation being conducted with regard the unnatural death of DK Ravi, an IAS Officer, pending disposal of this writ petition," Justice Abdul Nazeer said. However, the investigation into the case can continue, the order said.
The order came during a hearing on a petition that sought to prevent the government from making any public statement or releasing any interim report on the probe that is being conducted by the state's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
"We will not allow the government to submit the interim report because that is a deliberate attempt at misleading investigations," senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said today.
The government had, so far, resolutely rejected the widespread demand for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of the 36-year-old IAS officer, trigerring strong protests, including by the Opposition.
"Since the Assembly is going on and has been adjourned to Monday, the stand of the government would be made known on the floor of the House," the chief minister said on Saturday, as his government came under increasing pressure with Congress President Sonia Gandhi "advising" him to hold an inquiry by the central agency. He is likely to announce a CBI probe tomorrow, say sources.
Mr Ravikumar was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his Bengaluru apartment on Monday. The police have so far maintained that it is "prima facie a case of suicide," a premise questioned by many including his family and friends.