Indian
Express: Koppal
(karnataka): Sunday, July 05, 2015.
Five days
before he died, 17-year-old Yallalinga Kuruba, a college student, told a local
TV channel called Suvarna Siri that there was widespread corruption in the
implementation of government projects in his impoverished village of
Kanakapura, in Hullihyder gram panchayat of Koppal district in north Karnataka.
“This is the
main road of our village,’’ he said, pointing to a mud path with sewage flowing
through it. “It is about a kilometre long, and the entire stretch is in this
condition. There is no drainage system in the village. The drains flow on the
road. We struggle on these roads every day. No form of development touches our
village,’’ he told the channel.
The first
year pre-degree student of Krantiveera Sangolli Rayana College in Gadag town,
about 100 km from Kanakapura, later called up panchayat development officer
(PDO) and public information officer (PIO) Ramu Nayak and sought information on
filing an RTI on the contracts awarded for development work in his village
under various public schemes like NREGA, the names of the contractors and the
status of work.
On January
10, Yallalinga is reported to have filed an RTI application. The next day, he
was killed.
His body was
found on a railway track on the outskirts of Koppal town, about 50 kms from his
village. For three months, his death was passed off as a case of suicide, until
his widowed mother, Kenchamma, approached the Koppal Superintendent of Police K
Raja.
An FIR was
registered on April 10. Investigations led the police to Koppal District
Congress leader Hanumesh Nayak, whose family is involved in government projects
in Kanakapura.
According to
the police, on the morning of January 11, Yallalinga noticed that four persons
from Hulihyder were following the bus he was travelling in. He called up at
least 20 people, including local reporters, policemen, politicians and his
friends. He used his cellphone to click pictures of the suspects, following a
suggestion by a local channel reporter. He also wrote a hurried letter alleging
that Nayak and gram panchayat member Balan Gowda should be held responsible if
anything untoward were to happen to him.
Over the last
fortnight, the police have arrested Nayak, his son Mahantesh Nayak, and their
associates Parashuram, Manoj, Durugappa, Kunta Basappa and Balan Gowda.
Curiously,
however, investigators are yet to find the RTI application that Yallalinga is
reported to have filed, despite a CID raid on Nayak’s residence and the
Hullihyder panchayat office. Nayak admitted that Yallalinga had called him up
to ask about implementation of projects in his village, but said no RTI plea
was filed. “I am sure I got a call from Yallalinga because I heard the news of
the death within days of the call. He asked me details of all the gram
panchayat projects in general. He did not mention any particular project,” said
Nayak.
Police
sources, however, claimed that Yallalinga personally met Nayak and sought
details of the projects, but the PDO rebuffed him and said the information
could be given only to an SC/ ST person. Yallalinga then reportedly got a Dalit
friend, Pampapati, and filed an RTI plea at the panchayat. The panchayat,
however, did not acknowledge receipt of the petition, said sources.
“The CID
questioned me for two days and searched my office and residence for the
application. I didn’t receive any RTI application from Yallalinga or his
friend. I asked Yallalinga to meet me at my office when he sought details about
projects over the phone. He said he would come to my office, but he never came
because he died before that,” said Nayak.
The CID has
now issued a notice to Nayak, seeking details related to implementation of
NREGA and other schemes in the gram panchayat. “Provide details of all RTI
applications received in the year 2015 and replies provided to them. Provide
details of grants released under various schemes in the years 2012-13, 2013-14
and 2014-15 and the expenditure in the Kanakapura village. Provide details of
the president, members and contractors of the GP and whether Hanumesh Nayak’s
brother Narasimha Nayak and son Mahantesha Nayak are licensed contractors,” the
CID said in its notice to the PDO.
The Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the Koppal Zilla Panchayat, Krishna Udapudi, alleged
irregularities in the implementation of schemes in the Hullihyder gram
panchayat. “We are analysing reports to initiate action against officials for
irregularities in the GP,” he said.
“Attacking
people is not new for Nayak’s family. They have done it to many people and have
instilled fear in the people of here,” said Mudiyappa, Yallalinga’s uncle.
Nayak is reported to be a close associate of Shivaraj Tangadagi, local MLA and
Minor Irrigation Minister in the Congress government in Karnataka.
“My husband
died seven years ago. We are a poor family. Yallalinga was our hope. He told us
not to worry about debts and he assured us that he would get a good job after
completing his education. He was a bright student,” said Yellalinga’s mother
Kenchamma.
Koppal SP
Raja said there are over 25 cases against Nayak, who is listed as a rowdy at
the Kanakagiri police station. His brothers are also involved in many cases, he
said.
The issue has
taken a political turn with the opposition BJP accusing Tangadagi of protecting
Nayak and his family. “I am surprised the opposition has dragged my name into
the issue. The CID probe will bring out the truth,” retorted Tangadagi.
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