In a major embarrassment to the Siddaramaiah government, the Supreme Court has directed to hand over the mysterious death of DySP MK Ganapathy to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). With this, minister KJ George and two IPS officers - AM Prasad and Pranab Mohanty - who were given a clean chit by the CID - may have to face the inquiry all over again.
Ganapathy had named the trio as "reason for his death" to the media hours before he was found hanging at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7, 2016. Ganapathy had alleged that he was being harassed by IPS officers Pranab Mohanty and AM Prasad and they were putting pressure on him in various cases. He had also stated that "If anything happened to him, KJ George, Pranab Mohanty and AM Prasad would be responsible." While Mohanty was the IGP (Lokayukta) then, Prasad was the ADGP (intelligence).
Ganapathy's alleged suicide had rocked the state as he had directly named the influential personalities for being responsible for his death. Despite the Opposition's demand to hand over the case to the CBI, Siddaramaiah government ordered CID probe into the case.
Owing to Opposition's demand, George stepped down from his ministry after an FIR was filed against him in the case. However, in one of the quickest probes by the CID, George was given a clean chit in September, and soon, George was back in the Siddaramaiah cabinet. Besides, the state investigating agency had also cleared the charges on the two IPS officers, claiming they found no evidence against them despite investigating from all possible angles.
Upset over the CID probe, Ganapathy's family had knocked the doors of the Apex Court seeking the CBI probe into Ganapathy's death.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday has asked the CBI to probe into the case and submit the report within three months. While this has come as a rude shock to the Congress government, especially for minister George, the Opposition party, BJP has welcomed the Apex Court order.
State BJP President BS Yeddyurappa has demanded the resignation of George with him now facing the inquiry by the CBI.