In a major setback to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government in Karnataka, controversial Bengaluru Development Minister and close aide KJ George has finally resigned. He resigned after a magistrate court in Madikeri on Monday ordered filing of FIR on the basis of a complaint filed by the wife and son of the deceased Deputy Superintendent of Police MK Ganapathi.
KJ George said “I have submitted my resignation to the Chief Minister. My conscious is clear. I will come out clean. I fully believe in the probe. I have never harassed anyone in my life. I am confidant and fully aware I will come out clean.” George also indicated that he would appeal against the lower court order in the Karnataka High Court. “I will also explore legal remedy” he said.
Even though unperturbed by the Opposition protests both inside and outside the House Siddaramaiah so far had justified his close confidant and Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George and two police officials and ordered a judicial probe which was rejected by the family of MK Ganapathy. But Siddaramaiah who had justified so far was under intense pressure after the Madikeri court had ordered an FIR and had no way but to seek George’s resignation.
In a major development of the day the magistrate’s court in Madikeri in the Kodagu district of Karnataka ordered the filing of an abetment of suicide case under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code against KJ George, and two senior police officers, based on allegations of harassment made against them by a police officer MK Ganapathi who committed suicide at a private lodge in Madikeri on July 7.
The order by Additional Judicial Magistrate First Class Annapurneshwari came on a private criminal complaint filed by the deceased police official’s son Nehal Ganapathy requesting the court to direct the Kodagu police to take up investigation against the minister and two officers for allegedly abetting his father’s suicide.
Ganapathy’s wife Pavana and Nehal had approached the court, stating that the police had rejected the complaint lodged by them with the Kushalanagar police on July 10 against George and IPS officials AM Prasad and Pranab Mohanty.
In his complaint, Nehal had said his father had made a “dying declaration” naming George and the two officers and their acts amounted to “abetting the commission of suicide.”
Appealing to the court to take cognisance of the offence punishable under IPC section 306 read with Section 34, the complaint had also claimed that the accused were highly placed and influential persons who had prevailed upon police from taking action against them.
Nehal’s counsel M T Nanaiah said that the Investigating Officers would have to question George and the two police officers and take a call on whether to arrest them or not depending on their probe.
A local police station in Madikeri had earlier refused to register the FIR sought by the family and had instead forwarded their complaint to the CID unit of the state police which is investigating the suicide.
Ganapathy’s wife Paavana and son Nehal in their complaint to the court said that an FIR must be registered against former home minister K J George and senior police officers A M Prasad (ADGP-Intelligence) and Pranab Mohanty (IGP-lokayukta police) who had been accused by the DSP of harassing him.
On July 7 Ganapathy came to Madikeri and committed suicide in a lodge. He had gone to a local TV channel and in a statement had blamed Minister KJ George and two police officials would be held guilty if something happens to him. However after his death, government refused to entertain a complaint by the family who wanted to file an FIR before handing over the probe to CID. With intense pressure later government ordered judicial probe which was refused by the family.
With the order of the JMFC to file an FIR Siddaramaiah called for a meeting with Bengaluru Development minister K J George and the home minister G Parameshwara and sought the resignation of George.
The opposition BJP and JDS have stalled the state legislature over the past week demanding the resignation of George and demanded a CBI probe. However both the houses have been adjourned sine die on Monday. George was the home minister till October 31, 2015 before he was made Bengaluru Development Minister and the ruling party’s state unit president G. Parameshwara replaced him.
Reacting to the court’s directive in Bengaluru, Opposition BJP leader Jagadish Shettar said the minister should resign immediately and the two IPS officers suspended to pave the way for an impartial probe.
Coming under attack from the Opposition, which has been stalling Assembly proceedings since Monday last, the Karnataka government has constituted a judicial commission headed by K N Keshavanarayana to inquire into the alleged suicide.
The commission would inquire into the “circumstances and events” leading to the “unnatural death” of Ganapathy. The Opposition BJP and JDS have rejected the judicial probe and been insisting on a CBI inquiry and resignation of George.
A BJP high-level delegation led by its state president BS Yeddyurappa met the governor Vajubhai Vala and submitted memorandum seeking the probe should be handed over to CBI. The BJP is also raking up the issue in the parliament.