Police officer accused of stripping woman lawyer who later died by suicide

A WOMAN deputy superintendent of police has been booked after a woman lawyer in Bengaluru died by suicide accusing the officer of stripping her while conducting interrogation in the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation scam.

She also accused the DySP of demanding ₹2.5 million (£23,597) bribe.

The Banashankari police registered a case against Kanakalakshmi, DySP of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), based on a suicide note by a 33-year-old lawyer Jeeva S on November 22 at her residence in Raghavendra Layout in Bengaluru.

Following the FIR, the Commissioner of Police B Dayananda has ordered an inquiry by the Central Crime Branch against the accused police officer.

According to police, on March 18, 2023, a case was registered at Siddapura police station in the city based on a complaint by one Suryakalavathi K N of the Siddapura area.

She alleged that two women of her own locality, Sarasvathi and Lakshmi, approached her in October 2021 saying that she could avail loan from Bhovi Development Corporation, once the loan is cleared she would have to give ₹25,000 as bribe.

Suryakalavathi submitted required documents and two blank cheques and signed blank papers. She was one of the 40 women approached by Saraswathi and Lakshmi.

A month later, the accused women told Suryakalavathi ₹50,000 was sanctioned to her and as per the agreement, ₹25,000 has been withdrawn from her account.

In December 2022, Bhovi Development Corporation officials approached her and said she would have to repay for ₹500,000 loan taken by her.

Shocked to know this, she went to the bank and found that ₹500,000 was deposited by the Corporation.

Of them amount ₹475,000 was transferred to New Dreams Enterprises. Based on her complaint, the CID started investigation.

During the course of investigation, several persons were interrogated and one among them was the advocate Jeeva. She was allegedly summoned for questioning.

Jeeva’s sister Sangeetha S, who complained against the DySP Kanakalakshmi, alleged that her sister was stripped in order to check whether she carried cyanide and was tortured to pay ₹2.5 million bribe. (PTI)