George to be reinstated as minister
Bengaluru: : Former minister K J George, who was forced to resign two months ago over the suicide of DySP M K Ganapathi, will rejoin the Siddaramaiah Cabinet on September 26. He will take oath at a ceremony to be held in the Raj Bhavan at 10.15 am on Monday. George will be given the Bengaluru Development and Town Planning portfolio, which he had held when he resigned on July 18.
George had quit under pressure after a Judicial Magistrate of First Class court in Madikeri ordered the state police to file a first information report against him in connection with Ganapathi’s suicide. However, the CID has not drawn any adverse inference against George.
The CID also did not find any clear evidence against the two IPS officers – A M Prasad and Pronob Mohanty. Ganapathi’s family had alleged that the police officer was forced to take the extreme step because he was harassed by his higher-ups. The family had also demanded a probe into his death. Ganapathi had given an interview to a television channel in Madikeri blaming George and the two IPS officers for his death.
The CID filed a ‘B’ report in the Madikeri court on September 17 stating that there was no clear evidence against the three accused in the case. Ganapathi’s suicide had kicked up a storm with the BJP baying for George’s blood.
The BJP had disrupted the entire proceedings of the monsoon session. The BJP and JD (S) legislators had staged a day-night protest to build pressure on Siddaramaiah. When contacted by DH, state Congress unit working president Dinesh Gundu Rao said: “There is not a shred of evidence against George. How could he have abetted the suicide? They (Opposition) have been targeting him ever since he was the home minister.”