BENGALURU: The Supreme Court order directing CBI probe into DySP M K Ganapathy suicide case has come as a setback for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Bengaluru Development Minister K J George. The CM had earlier dismissed the demand for a CBI probe and had re-inducted George into the ministry after Criminal Investigation Department (CID) gave him a clean chit.The Opposition BJP sees the court order as vindication of its stand and is gunning for George’s resignation. The party had accused the government of misusing CID to re-induct George into the ministry. Also, for BJP, the court order could not have come at a better time as the party has got more ammo to corner Siddaramaiah.
State BJP president and party’s chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa said George should immediately resign and action should be taken against two senior IPS officers named by Ganapathy. “If George does not resign, Chief Minister Siddaramiah must dismiss him and suspend senior police officers A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty,’’ he stated. Prasad is now DGP Intelligence and Mohanty is on central deputation with Unique Identification Authority of India.
The BJP has given the CM two days time to get George’s resignation, failing which it will launch statewide agitation. Some units of the party are launching protests from Wednesday.
The government managed to crush BJP’s Tuesday’s agitation by denying permission to the ‘Mangalore chalo’ bike rally. However, BJP’s agitation demanding George’s resignation might put the government on back-foot.
Siddaramaiah and George have dismissed the demand for resignation. The CM refused to comment on the SC order stating that he will wait for the copy of the court order before making any comments. George was more bullish. “Why should I resign? The court has asked CBI to give report in three months. Let them give the report,” he said.Hours before committing suicide in July last year, the officer had named George and two senior IPS officers in an interview to a television channel. The BJP had launched an agitation demanding the minister’s resignation and action against the officers.
George resigned only after a local court in Madikeri directed police to register an FIR against those named in the TV interview. Within months after taking up the probe, the state agency filed a ‘B’ report giving clean chit to the Congress leader, who was re-inducted into the ministry. Ganapathy’s family questioned the report and demanded CBI probe.
Fate of commission hangs in balance
The fate of the one-man commission headed by Justice K N Keshavanarayana, former judge of Karnataka High Court, hangs in the balance. “It is for the government to take a call as it is the apex court that has ordered a CBI probe. The state can order dropping of the probe at this stage. The commission has to stop its inquiry if the apex court orders. If neither the state nor SC asked us to stop, the commission will take its probe to a logical end because. Findings will be submitted before January 15, 2018,” a source in the commission said.
Death that shook K’taka
July 7, 2016:
DySP M K Ganapathy gives an interview to a news channel in Madikeri and accuses two senior police officers and then Home Minister K J George of harrassing him. On the same evening, he is found hanging in a lodge.
July 8, 2016:
Madikeri police begin probe and take statement from the family including his father Kushalappa and wife Paavana.
July 9, 2016:
State government hands over case to CID and a team headed by IGP, CID Hemanth Nimbalkar is formed.
July 11, 2016:
Home Minister G Parameshwara makes statement in Assembly and Council, blaming marital discord for the suicide
July 12, 2016:
Minister George offers to quit, if he is asked by the CM to do so
July 13, 2016:
Siddaramaiah announces a judicial probe
July 16, 2016:
Retired Judge K N Keshavanarayana appointed to probe and submit a report in 6 months.
July 18, 2016:
A sessions court in Madikeri orders the police to file an FIR against senior IPS officers A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty and K J George. George resigns.
September 17, 2016:
CID files a B report, effectively closing the case. CID says there was no evidence to prove there was abetment in the suicide
September 26, 2016:
George sworn in as a minister again. Resumes charge as Bengaluru Development Minister
September 20, 2016:
Karnataka High Court dismisses a petition seeking CBI probe in to Ganapathy’s death filed by his father M K Kushalappa and his brother M K Machaiah.
January 5, 2017:
Supreme Court admits the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by M K Kushalappa seeking CBI probe and issues notice to the state government
July 13, 2017:
Supreme Court Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and U U Lalit order issue of notice to Minister K J George and two IPS officers Ashit Mohan Prasad and Pronab Mohanty.
September 5, 2017:
Supreme Court orders CBI probe into Ganapathy’s death