Dy.SP suicide: govt. orders CID probe, Oppn. demurs

In an attempt to counter serious allegations of harassment levelled by Dy.SP M.K. Ganapathy against Minister K.J. George and top police officials, in a television interview hours before he allegedly committed suicide, the State government ordered a probe by the Criminal Investigation Department into the case, on Friday. The Council of Ministers, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, firmly rallied behind Mr. George, who has refused to resign, despite Opposition leaders demanding it. The government has also ruled out suspending or acting against two police officials named by Ganapathy — A.M. Prasad, ADGP (Intelligence), and Pronab Mohanty, IGP, Lokayukta. This is despite Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and activists demanding a CBI probe into the case, pointing out that the police should have registered a case of abetment to suicide against the three named by Mr. Ganapathy. Instead, only a case of unnatural death has been registered. The former DG&IGP, Shankar M. Bidari, said the interview Ganapathy gave to a private television channel hours before his death can be considered as a “dying declaration” and was acceptable as evidence under the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. “It is a fit case where abetment to suicide be booked against persons named by him in the interview as responsible for whatever happens to him in future,” Mr. Bidari said. Meanwhile, the officer’s body was cremated at his family estate in Rangasamudra village in Somvarpet taluk of Kodagu district on Friday afternoon, and a huge gathering of family, friends and the public attended. While Ganapathy’s brother, M.K. Thammaiah, also a Dy. SP, said the officer had been “depressed”, his wife, Pavana, told media persons that it was harassment by those whom he named in the interview which drove him to depression. She took strong exception to senior officers revealing to the media that her husband was under medical treatment for depression, and argued that it cannot be seen as an excuse to not probe the case thoroughly. The BJP has decided to launch a State-wide agitation demanding action against those named by Ganapathy. I never interfered in the day-to-day functioning of the Home Department when I held charge of the department. The question of my resignation does not arise. The probe will reveal the truth. K.J. George Former Home Minister K.J. George was biased against me over the church attack issue of 2008. A.M. Prasad and Pronab Mohanty, both close to George, further harassed me. I was shunted out frequently without being given a posting. When I sought the reason, I was told it was done ‘under pressure from higher-ups'. M.K. Ganapathy, Dy.SP in an interview hours before his death