Dead IAS officer was to expose major K’taka scam: UP minister

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, May 18

Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Khanna said in the Assembly today that the Karnataka-cadre IAS officer, who was found dead in Lucknow yesterday, was about to “expose a major scam” in the Karnataka Government even the police have formed an SIT to investigate the death.

The mysterious death of Anurag Tewari (36) led to the entire Opposition staging a walkout from the Vidhan Sabha here today protesting the “worsening” law and order situation.

As soon as the House convened, Samajwadi Party MLA Nitin Agarwal referred to Tewari’s puzzling death in the very heart of a VVIP area of Lucknow. He pointed out the deceased’s family suspected foul play, but the police were “clueless”.

Despite the intervention of the Leader of Oppositionm, the Speaker refused to allow Agarwal to raise the issue. In protest, the Samajwadi Party staged a walkout.

Subsequently, the Congress attempted to raise the same issue but the Speaker did not relent, making the party to walkout, followed by the BSP.

Minister Khanna said the officer was “investigating and about to expose a major scam in the Congress government of Karnataka”. He also assured the House the police investigations were on and the guilty would be brought to book. “To ensure impartiality, our government has appointed a four-doctor panel to conduct post-mortem. The viscera has also been preserved for further investigations,” said Khanna.

Deepak Kumar, Lucknow SSP, has set up a five-member SIT (special investigation team) to investigate the death. The SIT has been asked to submit its report within 72 hours.

“The officer’s family members told us that Anurag was not allowed leave by seniors in Karnataka but the police are probing the matter professionally, looking at all angles,” Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said.

(With agency inputs)