DSP suicide; Karnataka Minister K.L George resigns

Bengaluru: Facing mounting pressure, Karnataka Minister K J George on Monday resigned shortly after a court directed police to register an FIR against him and two top police officers in connection with alleged suicide of a DSP, which has kicked up a huge storm in the state.

George stepped down within hours after a local court at Madikeri in Kodagu district gave the direction on a private criminal complaint filed by the deceased police officer M K Ganapathy’s son Nehal requesting it to direct the police to take up investigation against the minister and two officers for allegedly abetting his father’s suicide.

“I have submitted my resignation...it is left to the Chief Minister (to accept or not)“, George, Minister for Bengaluru development, said, adding, he had taken the step to pave the way for an impartial probe.

Asserting that his conscience was clear, George said ... “I have not harassed anybody... I will come out clean.”

The order by Additional Judicial Magistrate First Class Annapurneshwari came, as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faced growing clamour to remove George, with the Opposition stalling proceedings of both the Houses of legislature, which were abruptly adjourned sine die today much before the July 30 schedule.

Ganapathy’s wife Pavana and Nehal had approached the court, stating that the police had rejected the complaint lodged by them with the Kushalanagar police on July 10 against George and IPS officials A M Prasad and Pranab Mohanty.

In his complaint, Nehal had said his father had made a dying declaration naming George and the two officers and their acts amounted to abetting the commission of suicide.

Appealing to the court to take cognizance of the offence punishable under IPC section 306 read with Section 34, the complaint had also claimed that the accused were highly placed and influential persons who had prevailed upon police from taking action against them.