Karnataka Minister K J Georgetoday welcomed the Supreme Court order for a CBI probe into the alleged suicide of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who had accused him and some senior IPS officers of harassing him.
DySP Ganapathy (51) was found hanging from a ceilingfan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7 last year, with the mystery surrounding it raising a huge controversy.
Prior to the alleged suicide, Ganapathy had told a local TV channel in an interview that the then Home Minister George and two senior police officers A M Prasad and Pranab Mohanty would be responsible "if anything happens to me".
Ordering a CBI investigation, the Supreme Court today said there were "startling facts" in the case which needed to be probed in a fair manner.
It asked the CBI to file a status report on the probe within three months.
"I welcome the Supreme Court's order for a CBI inquiry. Iwelcome a fair trial to bring out the truth. I will cooperatewith the CBI inquiry," George said.
Noting that he had earlier tendered his resignation voluntarily because his remaining a minister might influence the probe by the state police or CID, George rejected the opposition demand that he quit again.
"After inquiry in three months time if it is proved that I'm guilty, let them ask, then I will answer their resignation demand. Now there is no reason for me to resign as CBI is not under the state government but the Centre," he added.
The CID, which investigated the case after the death of Ganapathy, had given a clean chit to George and the two officers in closure report filed before a court inMadikeri.
George had resigned soon after a court directed police to register an FIR against him and the two police officers.
After his name was cleared by CID,George was re-inducted into the Cabinet.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah refused to comment on the SC order, saying he is yet to read it.
"Let the order come. Once I get the order copy I will speak. I have not yet got the order copy," Siddaramaiah said.
He said "Whether B (closure) report has been quashed or not, whetherthey have asked for only re-investigation, I do notknow. I will have to go through the judgement."
Media reports had recently claimed that the forensic science laboratory report in the case exposed the "shoddy" investigation of the case by the CID.
According to forensic reports cited by the media, documents that were purportedly in the mobile phone and computer of Ganapathy had been destroyed, following which the opposition BJP demanded a CBI probe and called for resignation of Siddaramaiah taking moral responsibility for "destruction of evidence".
Welcoming today's Supreme Court decision, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa demanded immediate resignation of George for a fair probe. If George does not resign, Chief Minister Siddaramiahmust dismiss him immediately, he said.
Also asking for the immediate suspension of senior policeofficials A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty, named in the case,he said that the BJP would wait for two days and launch a state-wide agitation if the demands were not met.
Ganapathy's brother M K Machaiah expressed happiness over the Supreme Court order.
"We want to know who were the people responsible for my brother'sdeath. We have many doubts about the case and circumstances under which my brother was found dead," said Machaiah, accusing the CID of having probed the case shoddily.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)