Ganapathy suicide case: No need for KJ George to resign, says Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Amid uproar after CBI named KJ George in an FIR in the suicide case of a police officer, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that there is no need the minister to resign from the state cabinet.   

"KJ George inducted back in cabinet after CID's B report, now BJP asking for the resignation. He doesn't need to resign," the Chief Minister said.

He also said that since George is not the home minister now, he cannot be influencing the CBI. "George was home minister then, he`s not a home minister now. So, in no way can he influence the CBI," he said.

Defending himself, George has maintained that the case registered against him by the CBI was out of political vendetta.

He has been booked after Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mangaluru MK Ganapathy allegedly killed himself in a lodge in Kodagu on July 7, 2016. In a video message, he had named and blamed KJ George, AM Prasad and Pranab Mohanty for his extreme step.

The Supreme court had in September ordered a CBI investigation into the former officer's suicide. Supreme Court had said that "there are certain startling facts in the case. Whether it is murder or suicide, it is required to be investigated in a fair manner."

Ganapathy's father MK Kushalapp had moved the apex court challenging the order of the Karnataka High Court which rejected his plea for CBI probe into his son's death case.

George, who is now the Minister for Bengaluru Development and Town Planning, was previously the Home Minister of Karnataka. 

He was also the Minister of State (Independent Charge) Transport, Food and Civil Supplies in the Veerendra Patil government and Cabinet Minister for Housing and Urban Development in the S. Bangarappa government.