KJ George reinstated as minister after Karnataka CID gives him cleanchit in suicide case

Bengaluru: Powerful Congress leader KJ George, who is known to be close to the party high command, was reinducted into the state cabinet on Monday.

The development came after the Karnataka CID gave him a clean chit in the case related to the alleged suicide of DySP M K Ganapathy.

George was sworn in by Governor Vajubhai Vala at the Raj Bhavan in presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, ministers, and other dignitaries.

According to media reports, George is likely to retain Bengaluru Development and Town Planning portfolio. He had also served as Home Minister in the past.

George had resigned on July 18, soon after a court in Madikeri, Kodagu district directed police to register a FIR against him and two police officers in connection with the suicide of 51-year-old Ganapathy.

Ganapathy was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a room at a lodge in Madikeri on July 7, prior to which he gave an interview to a local TV channel saying the Minister and AM Prasad (now Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety) and Pranab Mohanty (now on central deputation as Additional Deputy Director General of UIDAI) would be responsible "if anything happens to me."

The court had issued directions based on a private criminal complaint by Ganapathy's son, Nehal, requesting it to direct police to take up investigation against the minister and the officers for allegedly abetting his father's suicide.

Karnataka CID which investigated the case, on September 17 gave a clean chit to George and two senior police officers in its 'B' report, filed to a court in Madikeri.

Following Ganapathy's death, the Government had come under attack from the Opposition, which had stalled the Assembly proceedings by staging a day-night agitation inside the House demanding a CBI inquiry, to which the government did not budge.

Both opposition parties BJP and JD(S) have expressed their strong exception to the reinduction of George into the cabinet.

Earlier, Siddaramaiah on September 5 had expanded his Cabinet by inducting M Krishnappa into his Ministry, he was allocated Housing department.

In a major revamp, the Chief Minister had sacked 14 ministers and inducted 13 members into his Council of Ministers on June 20 which had led to discontent within the Congress with several senior leaders openly coming out against the party's state leadership.

With PTI inputs