Udupi:   Udupi Legislator Raghupathi Bhat has finally come out in the open and has claimed that he was innocent in the case of the death of his wife Padmapriya. It may be mentioned here that the suspicious death of Padmapriya  on June 15 , 2008  by hanging herself from  a flat in New Delhi three days after her going missing from her residence  on June 11, 2008, has aroused much speculations.

Speaking to media, Bhat also produced copies of the FIR, post-mortem report, FIR, forensic reports etc pertaining to the case.

On June 19 the same year, Bhat in a complaint lodged with Manipal police had accused his close associate Atul Rao in the case and had even charged Atul of having an affair with his wife. Atul was subsequently arrested and later given bail. He had even moved court challenging Bhat’s claim.

Bhat said her death was a great loss for him and his family and added “I did not murder my wife nor am I responsible for her death.” He also said “I was hurt when my personal tragedy took political turns.”

He said as a public figure he thought it was his responsibility to bring out the facts in this case when opposition parties have dragged the issue in public several times and accused him.

Bhat said when he met Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade, he asked him to swear before God of his innocence.

Bhat said his kids suffered the most after his wife’s death when their classmates jeered at them saying their father was the murderer. “Unable to defend themselves they did not want to study in that school and now I am trying to admit them to another school. It is the trouble which my kids faced which forced me to come out in the open that I am innocent,” Bhat said.