Former Karnataka Minister and mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy is at the centre of a fresh row, with the car driver of a State official leaving behind a suicide note claiming that the mining baron had got ₹100 crore of old high-denomination notes converted into new currency for the opulent wedding of his daughter last month.

The driver, KC Ramesh, was found dead at a lodge at Maddur in Mandya district on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

In the note, Ramesh listed alleged illegal activities committed by Bengaluru Special land Acquisition Officer Bheema Nayak. Holding the official and the latter’s personal driver responsible for his death, Ramesh’s note claimed there was a threat to his life as he had come to know of Nayak’s alleged illegal acitivities and how he recently got the money converted for the wedding of Reddy’s daughter.

Police said they have registered a case and launched a probe.

The handwritten suicide note said Nayak had met Reddy and BJP MP Sriramulu at a guest house on October 28 to discuss his candidature for the 2018 Assembly elections from Hagaribommanahalli constituency and promised to pay ₹25 crore for it.

According to the note, Nayak had on November 15 claimed, in Ramesh’s presence that he would give ₹25 crore for Reddy daughter’s wedding. It also mentioned registration numbers of vehicles used. “He (Nayak) had got converted ₹1,000 and ₹500 notes belonging to them (Reddy) worth ₹100 crore for 20 per cent (commission) to ₹50, ₹100 and ₹2,000 notes,” Ramesh alleged in the note.

Since he was aware of the dealings, Ramesh had been threatened with dire consequences, the driver alleged in the note.

Days after the blockbuster wedding of his daughter that raised national eyebrows, Reddy had come under the scanner of the IT department, which on November 21 cracked the whip, asking him to explain the expenditure for it and inspected offices of his firms.

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