State Assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah and former minister and senior JD(S) leader M.C. Nanaiah have reportedly asked the city police to conduct a thorough inquiry into the death of 24-year-old Moksha Nanaiah, who slipped and fell from the third floor of CPWD quarters in Madiwala police limits on June 30.
Moksha’s father Mr Nanaiah, a coffee planter in Kodagu, has approached the Madiwala police suspecting foul play behind his daughter’s death. Mr Nanaiah is a close friend of both the Speaker and the JD(S) leader. Mr Nanaiah had sought the help of his friends to help him get clarity on Moksha’s death.
“Speaker Bopaiah and JD(S) leader M.C. Nanaiah have asked some senior police officers to conduct a thorough probe into Moksha’s death. Their contention is that there is no clarity in the reasons given for the girl’s death. The officers directed us to summon Jeeth Kalappa, who was with Moksha at the time of her death. We called on Jeeth’s mobile phone, but it has been switched off and he has gone missing. He was working for Accenture and has not been going to work. His parents, who are in Kodagu, are not aware of his whereabouts,” said the Madiwala police.
Jeeth was staying with his friend Nithin Nachappa, who is employed with the central excise department and the house at the CPWD quarters was given to him. Jeeth had taken Moksha, who was working with a private bank, to the quarters in the absence of Nithin. Both Jeeth and Moksha consumed liquor. The police had earlier said that the girl fell to death after she slipped while getting down from the terrace. Even her brother Ayyappa had not accused anyone for her death in the beginning. But later her father suspected foul play and sought help from the two politicians. After Moksha’s death, Jeeth vacated Nithin’s official quarters and was staying with his aunt in BEL Layout. “But Jeeth has gone missing realising that the case is taking a serious turn. We have asked his parents and aunt to inform Jeeth to cooperate with the investigations. Going missing would result in doubts. If he fails to turn up, we will launch a manhunt,” the police said.
Nithin, who went to the Madiwala police station on Saturday, gave yet another statement, saying that Moksha’s family was unaware that she used to drink. They knew about Jeeth only a fortnight before the tragedy, the police said. Nithin and Jeeth came to know each other while training in hockey at the Sports Authority of India and had represented the state. Nithin has been allotted a quarters and Jeeth was staying with him for a brief period.