Coming to Priyank Kharge’s support, samiti says Sachin’s note should go to forensics  

Members of Dalit Sanghatanegala Samanvaya Samiti Vittal Doddamani and Arjun Bhadre addressing presspersons in Kalaburagi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Members of Dalit Sanghatanegala Samanvaya Samiti have demanded that the seven-page note written by Bidar-based contractor Sachin Panchal who ended his life after being allegedly harassed by a former councilor Rajkumar Kapnoor, be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory to determine its authenticity.

Kapnoor is a close aide of Minister Priyank Kharge.

Samiti members Vittal Doddamani, Arjun Bhadre and A.B. Hosamani, jointly addressing a press conference here on Monday, hit out at BJP leaders for making baseless allegations against Priyank Kharge.

Arjun Bhadre said that the BJP leaders are trying to give the suicide case a political colour to target Priyank Kharge. The deceased Sachin’s family members have claimed that a group of nine members visited their house and threatened them. The call detail records of those mentioned in the note will reveal the truth in any of the allegations being made against Kapnoor and his associates.

The samiti members furnished details saying that six members mentioned in the note have transferred ₹58.77 lakh to Sachin’s bank account between December 2023 and February 2024.

Mr. Bhadre said that national honorary president of Sri Ram Sene Siddalinga Swami is hell-bent on tarnishing Priyank Kharge’s image by holding him responsible for murders being reported in Kalaburagi district.

He said that the seer is known for staging a “premeditated drama” against Priyank Kharge continuously for no reason.

Questioning the authenticity of the note written by Sachin Panchal, Congress leader Renuka Singhe said that the rustic language used by the deceased on a social platform does not match and suit the refined language used in the note.

Mr. Bhadre warned the BJP leaders to put an end to their baseless allegations thereby targeting Priyank Kharge and people belonging to the Dalit community. Mr. Bhadre threatened that the samiti will intensify its agitation if the BJP leaders again link Priyank Kharge’s name to the contractor’s suicide case.