Karnataka Govt refuses to order CBI probe into DySP's suicide

BENGALURU: Opposition BJP and JD (S) legislators dug their heels in on their demand for a CBI probe into the suicide of deputy superintendent of police MK Ganapati by launching a round-the-clock protest in the well of the Legislative Assembly minutes after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced a judicial inquiry on Wednesday.   

Mr Siddaramaiah, who gave a clean chit to three people named by Mr Ganapati, including minister K J George in his interview to a television channel before ending his life, said the inquiry would be completed and a report tabled within six months.

The opposition parties, however, smelt a conspiracy by the government to bury the case and demanded the resignation of Mr George, pending completion of a judicial inquiry.  When the government refused to give in, the legislators rushed into the well of the House and demanded a CBI probe.

Earlier, defending the government’s stand on judicial probe, Mr Siddaramaiah said there was no ulterior motive on the part of anyone to drive Mr Ganapati to end his life.

Mr Siddaramaiah also maintained that Mr Ganapati’s statement to a television channel could not be considered his dying declaration. Defending Mr George and two senior police officers, against whom Mr Ganapati had levelled allegations of harassment,  

Mr Siddaramaiah said the DSP had never worked directly under Mr Pranav Mohanthy. Besides, after Mr George took over as home minister, Mr Ganapati was posted to Rajagopal Nagar police station. If he resorted to politics of vengeance, would he have posted him there, he asked?

However, the opposition did not agree with Mr Siddaramaiah's stand. Leader of Opposition, Jagadish Shettar, said if the government wanted them to accept a judicial probe, with a six-month deadline for submission of the report, Mr George should quit ahead of the probe.

Citing Mr Kushalappa's latest statement, Mr Shettar said there was a deep conspiracy to hush up the case. The government had not registered a FIR to facilitate investigation in a particular direction.

JD(S) floor leader, H D Kumaraswamy, intervened saying the government was avoiding a FIR under Section 154 only to protect three people. As it was just an unnatural death case, investigation could not be initiated against the trio.

When Mr Siddaramaiah tried to justify his stand saying he was not afraid of CBI probe as he had already referred eight cases to CBI, the opposition legislators rushed into the well of the House. They announced that they would continue the protest through the night, forcing Speaker K B Koliwad to adjourn the house for the day.

No interference in case against Mari Gowda: Siddaramaiah
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that there would be no interference in the investigation into the case against his associate, Mari Gowda for allegdly abusing Mysuru deputy commissioner, Ms Shikha.     

Replying to a debate under Rule 69 on the suicide of DySP, M K Ganapati, and other matters, he said a case has been filed against Mr Gowda and action would be taken against him as per the law. “There will be no political interference in the matter,” he promised.

As for the suicide of Chikmagaluru DySP, Kallappa, who had been accused of extortion and kidnapping, he said a complaint had been lodged against five persons, including the late officer. The CID had arrested one of the accused,  Nataraj and was on the lookout out for three more identified as Abhijith, Khandya Praveen and Sathish Shetty.

Although there was no provision for giving compensation to the families of officers in suicide cases, Mr Kallappa's widow would be given a government job on compassionate grounds, he added.

Referring to the resignation of deputy superintendent of police from Ballari district, Anupama Shenoy, Mr Siddaramaiah said she had given personal reasons for her decision, although she had  blamed the liquor mafia for it in the media.

She had also evaded all efforts to contact and persuade her to withdraw her resignation, he added. “She also did not reply to an SMS sent by the SP. Her detailed letter was a subsequent creation,”  he said.