CHENNAI: K Ragothaman a former CBI officer who was part of the investigation into former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, died of Covid-19 here on Wednesday. He was 76.
Admitted to a private hospital at Thirumangalam three days ago, he breathed his last around 6am. He is survived by a daughter. His wife died a few years ago. Ragothaman joined the CBI in 1968 as a sub-inspector in Delhi and had a 37-year service. During his stint in Delhi, he was part of the probe teams in the UGC grants scam by various educational institutions in Delhi, the murder abetment case against former Karnataka home minister R L Jalappa and the case against former BCCI president A C Muthiah, accused of defrauding Syndicate Bank of Rs 102.8 crore.
Awarded the Police Medal in 1988 and President Medal in 1994, Ragothaman retired in 2005. Later, he produced a documentary, “Human Bomb” and published “Conspiracy to Kill Rajiv Gandhi” in English and Tamil as well as “Third Degree Crime Investigation Management.”
Recalling his association with Ragothaman, D Mukherjee, a former DGP, said he was an excellent officer. “I spoke to him two days ago and he inquired about my health. I am shocked by his sudden demise.”
S Ramani, a former DGP who was CBI deputy director (Chennai) in 1991, said he preferred Ragothaman as chief investigation officer in the Rajiv assassination case though there were 20 other deputy superintendents of police. “I saw his working pattern in the Jalappa case as I was AIG of CBI in Karnataka.”
Raju Rangarajan, a retired superintendent of police in CBI, said he was investigation officer and Ragothaman the supervising officer in a case pertaining to the suspicious death of Shanmugam of Vedaranyam who hanged himself at a park opposite the IB guest house where he was questioned by a DIG rank officer in 1991. “We helped crack the case.”
Shanmugam, who was arrested in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was a boatman who became a businessman after helping the members of the LTTE. He assisted Rajiv Gandhi’s assassin Thanu, the prime conspirator Sivarajan other members of the team after they landed at Vedaranyam, said Raju Rangarajan.
The body of Ragothaman, who lived at Joshua Apollo Apartments on 42 Street, 8th Sector, KK Nagar, was handed over to his son-in-law Dr Shanmugavel.
It was later transported to his native village Pondur near Ulundurpet in Kallakurichi district after the required permission was granted by Ambattur health inspector Sahana.
Discussion about this post