Janardhan Reddy's daughter's wedding: Govt suspends officer in black money conversion row

Bengaluru: Karnataka government today suspended the Special Land Acquisition Officer, who has been accused by his driver in a suicide note of allegedly helping mining baron G Janardhan Reddy in converting black money to white for his daughter's wedding recently.

Ramesh K C had allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison at a lodge at Maddur in Mandya district on December 6, leaving a note in which he has listed out alleged illegalities committed by Bheema Nayak, Special Land Acquisition Officer (Bengaluru) and held him and his personal driver Mohammad responsible for his death.

Nayak and Mohammad were arrested by the Mandya Police in Kalburgi yesterday.

Bheema Nayak has been suspended with immediate effect under Karnataka Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules 1957, pending inquiry, the government order said.

Ramesh had alleged that there was a threat to his life as he was in the know of the illegalities allegedly committed by the officer and how he got black money converted into white for the wedding of Reddy's daughter recently.

"He (Nayak) had got converted Rs 1000 and 500 notes belonging to them worth Rs 100 crore for 20 per cent (commission) to Rs 50, 100 and 2000 notes.

"As I was aware of all these things, they had threatened me of dire consequences and told me they will get me killed from rowdies," the note claimed.

The Criminal Investigation Department is also probing the case.