IAS officer found dead

D.K. Ravi

Bangalore, March 16: A 36-year-old IAS officer was today found hanging from a ceiling fan in his official flat here.

D.K. Ravi, additional commissioner of commercial taxes (enforcement), did not answer his wife's calls in the evening. She then rushed home to find him hanging in the bedroom.

Bangalore police commissioner M.N. Reddi, who visited the flat in the city's Koramangala area, told reporters that initial investigations suggested suicide.

"We haven't yet found any suicide note and don't have anything to pinpoint the reason (for suicide) at this stage," said Reddi.

The body has been sent for post-mortem.

Ravi, a 2009-batch officer, had arrived at his office around 10.15am but left for home in his official car an hour later.

After asking his driver to wait at the apartment's parking lot, he went into his two-bedroom flat on the ninth floor of the building, said Reddi.

Although only a forensic probe can fix the time of death, police suspect Ravi died well before 6pm when his wife, Kusuma, entered the flat with a duplicate key.

Kusuma rushed home with some relatives after her calls to Ravi's mobile went unanswered, the police chief added.

A special investigation team has been formed under DCP Rohini Katoch. "The team will comprise a forensic group and specially selected police officers. It is expected to come out with its findings as soon as possible," said Reddi.

The commissioner said Ravi had never before returned home so early. His staff at office had ordered lunch for their boss, who never returned.

He said it was not known if Ravi had shared any of his worries with his wife. Kusuma was inconsolable and was driven away from the apartment once the police team arrived.

A popular administrator, Ravi was known as a strict and forthright officer. He married Kusuma four years ago. They don't have any children.

In his earlier role as deputy commissioner for the neighbouring Kolar district, Ravi had shot into fame by acting against the sand mafia. Illegal sand mining from its rivers had been a major environmental concern in Kolar until Ravi reined the mafia in.

His transfer to Bangalore in October 2014 had triggered protests in Kolar, where he was credited with the success of development projects.

Police sources said there was a buzz that three men, who introduced themselves as income-tax officials, had entered the complex today and could have been to Ravi's flat.

Commissioner Reddi, however, said he knew nothing about it. He also rejected speculation that Ravi had received threat calls from the Dubai underworld for taking on the real estate mafia for tax evasion.