DySP Ganapathy suicide case: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah rules out resignation of minister K J George

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (File Photo)

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday ruled out the resignation of K J George, a minister in his cabinet, following the re-registration of an FIR against him and two senior police officers by the CBI in connection with the suicide of a Deputy Superintendent of Police M K Ganapathy, 51, in July 2016. Siddaramaiah said the minister would not resign as there was no fresh FIR filed against George. The CBI had re-registered the case yesterday on the directive of the Supreme Court. The apex court was hearing a petition filed by Ganapathy’s father M K Kushalappa against the closure report filed by the Karnataka CID after investigations.

“Since it is an old FIR already registered and a continuation of the FIR registered in Kushalnagar there is no necessity and the situation does not warrant the resignation of George,” the Chief Minister said. “When he resigned last year, George was the home minister and now he is minister for Bangalore. The question of him influencing investigations does not arise since CBI is a central agency,” he added.

The opposition BJP is threatening agitations against the government if George — who resigned earlier in July 2016 after the original FIR was registered on the basis of a court complaint filed by DSP Ganapathy’s son Nehal Ganapathy — does not resign again. He was later reinstated in the government after the Karnataka CID investigated the suicide and did not find any evidence to suggest that George and two senior police officers were involved in the abetment of the suicide.

Referring to the BJP’s demand for George’s resignation, Siddaramaiah said several ministers in the BJP government at the Centre, including Ananth Kumar Hegde and Ramesh Jigajinagi from Karnataka, had criminal cases against them. He also cited the example of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “There are serious cases against so many ministers in the BJP. Why is their resignation not being sought? This is a politically motivated move of the BJP ahead of the state polls,” he said.