DK Ravi committed suicide; No conspiracy behind his death: AIIMS doctors

New Delhi, Jun 24: It's almost official now. Doddakoppalu Kariyappa Ravi, aka DK Ravi, a 2009 batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, "committed suicide" and there was no conspiracy behind his death. A panel of AIIMS doctors, formed by the CBI to help in the probe, has told the agency that "it's a case of suicide".

The AIIMS panel gave its opinion after studying the post-mortem report, circumstances of the death and investigation details shared by the CBI. The opinion tallies with forensic reports of two laboratories - FSL Bengaluru and FSL Hyderabad. "AIIMS doctors recently gave their written conclusion saying it is a case of suicide by hanging," a source said. The autopsy had given the reason for death as "suffocation" due to hanging.

However, since the case led to a public outcry and major political controversy in Karnataka, the CBI is waiting for one last opinion - of its own laboratory, CFSL Delhi -- to conclude the investigation. It will also examine a few more persons in Karnataka soon before filing its 'final report' in July.

Earlier, there were rumours that Ravi's land deals or job-related worries could be behind his death. Top sources, however, clarified that there was no conspiracy behind his death.

The agency's probe into the call details of Ravi with several important persons in the state did not suggest any criminal conspiracy, sources said. "There is no evidence of abetment to suicide or murder of Ravi," a CBI officer said.

Also, the questioning of fellow IAS officers, friends, colleagues, several local politicians and officials in commercial tax (enforcement), Karnataka, where Ravi was posted as additional commissioner at the time of his death, did not reveal any conspiracy or motive to kill him.

The CBI has been probing Ravi's "unnatural death" since April 13 after the state government handed over the probe to it. The officer was found dead in his Bengaluru flat on March 16.