UP govt recommends CBI probe into death of IAS officer

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday recommended a CBI probe into the death of Karnataka-cadre IAS officer Anurag Tiwari after his family members met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and expressed dissatisfaction over the handling of the investigation by the state police.

After his body was found under mysterious circumstances five days ago, Anurag's family had alleged that he was murdered at the behest of corrupt officers as he was about to expose a "scam" in the department of food, civil supplies and consumer affairs in Bengaluru where he was posted as commissioner.

Post-mortem examination had indicated that Anurag, 36, had died of asphyxia but police had said that an SIT team probing the case was awaiting the test reports of his viscera and blood samples and heart to find the exact cause of the death.

Circle Officer, Hazratganj, Avanish Kumar Mishra today said that the UP police had registered a murder case against unidentified persons in the matter following a complaint by the officer's brother Mayank Tiwari.

Mayank, who along with his mother met the chief minister to press for a CBI probe, alleged that the scene of crime had been washed and the mobile phone was found in an unlocked condition.

"We demanded a CBI inquiry in order to find out why he was killed," his mother Sushila Devi told newspersons after meeting the chief minister.

""We are not satisfied with the police probe.... The chief minister has assured us that justice will be done," Mayank said.

Hours after the meeting, a senior police officer told PTI that the government has recommended a CBI probe in the case.

Mayank had written to the Prime Minister's Office too demanding a CBI inquiry into his brother's death.

In his letter, he said Anurag was an honest officer and wanted to work for the betterment of the society. "A few days back, Anurag had told me that he had stumbled upon a major scam in the Food and Civil Supplies department of Karnataka, which he wanted to inform the PMO and CBI," he wrote.

He also alleged that there was pressure on Anurag to withdraw the report which could have nailed senior officers and ministers, had it come in the public domain.

Sushila Devi made a fervent appeal to the prime minister and chief minister demanding justice for her son.

She said that she wanted to know why an honest officer was killed. She also said that her son never went for morning walk, countering the police which had suggested that he may have gone out for a morning walk when he died.

The UP police had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death on May 18.

The issue has taken a political colour after opposition members raised the matter vociferously in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly to question the law and order situation under the BJP government. The Assemly premises are hardly a kilometre from the spot where his body was found.

However, an Uttar Pradesh Minister said in the House that the officer was about to expose a major scam under the Congress government in Karnataka.

Tiwari, a 2007-batch IAS officer, was staying at the Meera Bai guest house with a batch mate after attending a mid-career training programme at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie.