Opposition demands George’s resignation over DySP suicide

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Jul 12, 2016, DHNS: The Opposition BJP and JD(S) on Monday launched a virulent attack on the Siddaramaiah government over the suicide of police officer M K Ganapathi. They demanded the immediate resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K J George.

The two parties accused the government of covering up the suicide case in order to protect George, who was named by the officer as responsible for his death before ending his life.

They also vociferously demanded the suspension of two senior police officers – A M Prasad, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence), and Pronab Mohanty, Inspector General of Police (Lokayukta) – whose names were also mentioned in the statement made by Ganapathi. They wanted the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the suicide case instead of the state’s Criminal Investigation Department.

Members of the Opposition and the Treasury benches indulged in heated arguments, accusing each other of politicising the issue. A suo motu statement by Home Minister G Parameshwara on the case left the Opposition irked as the minister did his best to defend the manner in which the case is being handled. The Opposition’s demand to withdraw the statement went in vain.

Opposition leader Jagadish Shettar said Ganapathi’s statement showed that he was not mentally unstable, as claimed by the government. The government is making up stories to protect George, he said.

Shettar said the statement is a dying declaration as per Section 32(1) of the Indian Evidence Act. A case under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code — which is abetment of suicide — should have been filed against all those named by the officer.

The statement is elaborate and it fits in the definition of cognizable offence. But the government has chosen to file a case as per Section 174 of the IPC – unnatural death. “Ganapathi has in his statement clearly said that George and two of his senior colleagues are responsible for his death. The government is shameless. Honest officers are committing suicide as they are unable to bear the harassment by some ministers and influential people,” he charged.

Shettar referred to some cases wherein accused individuals were arrested based on the statement made by people who committed suicide. “Recently, a farmer in Karwar was arrested for merely complaining about power cuts to Energy Minister D K Shivakumar. Why is the government not applying the same rule to George? Why is the government not allowing the members of Ganapathi’s family to file an FIR?” he asked.

Former minister R Ashoka charged the government with destroying evidences. “Eye-witnesses have said Ganapathi had left a two-page suicide note and a pen drive (at the hotel room where he committed suicide). But the police have denied there was a suicide note and a pen drive,” he said.

George, however, claimed he was not involved in the case.