After a very lengthy reply in the ongoing Assembly Session on Wednesday on the issue of DySP MK Ganapathy’s suicide, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a judicial probe which has taken the State by a political storm.
Siddaramaiah said the judicial commission would be headed by a retired High Court judge and the report would be submitted within six months. Siddaramaiah, on the floor of the House not only justified the three — Urban Development Minister KJ George, senior police officers AM Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP-lokayukta) — who were named by Ganapathy in an interview to a local TV channel before committed suicide, but also gave a clean chit without even filing an FIR in the case.
“There is not even an iota of evidence to prove that George or the two IPS officers had harassed Ganapathy,” Siddaramaiah said, while replying to the two-day debate in the legislative Assembly.
He also said that he has complete faith in the State’s CID which is probing Ganapathy’s death. “let the CID complete its probe and submit its report. Based on its findings, we will act against those involved,” Siddaramaiah said.
Turning down Opposition’s demand for George’s resignation, the Chief Minister maintained that Ganapathy would not have been promoted as DySP if George was vindictive.
The CM rejected the demand for a CBI probe by the BJP which is gunning for the resignation of George and the two top police officers. The JD(S) had also joined the BJP to press for George’s ouster.
Taking serious exception to this, the BJP and the JD(S) have decided to commence a day-and-night dharna in both the Houses of the State legislature. The leaders of the both the parties announced that they would not withdraw their protest till their demands were met.
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said that this was the first instance in the history of the State that a case has been handed over to judicial probe without filing an FIR and demanded the Government to file an FIR and sack all the three who have been named.
Meanwhile, the BJP has also decided to intensify their agitation outside the House. They have given a Madikeri bandh call on Thursday.
Ganapathy(51) was found hanging from the ceiling fan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7 prior to which he had given an interview to a local TV channel saying the Minister KJ George and poAM Prasad (IG-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP-lokayukta) would be responsible “if anything happens to me.”