CBI FIR puts Siddaramaiah government in a spot

A fresh First Information Report (FIR) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the death of Deputy Superintendent of Police M.K. Ganapathy has given the much needed ammunition to the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka to pin down the Siddaramaiah government.  The FIR mentions K.J. George, Minister for Bengaluru Development, as the first accused in Ganapathy’s death in Madikeri on 7 July 2016. The charges against K.J. George and two senior police officers, Pranov K. Mohanty, then serving as IG Lokayukta, and A.M. Prasad, ADGP who was the state Intelligence chief, are for abetment of suicide and common intention by the deceased Deputy SP under IPC Sections 306 and 34. 

After over a year, the state BJP has finally got the opportunity to counter the Siddaramaiah government months before the state goes to polls. B.S. Yeddyurappa, the man who will be leading the BJP in forthcoming polls as BJP’s chief ministerial candidate, told The Sunday Guardian: “Despite efforts by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and K.J. George, the truth will no longer be suppressed. They conducted a shoddy inquiry by influencing the state police and effected a closure of the case. The party stands with the family in this fight for justice and will fight for them.”

With the Nava Karnataka Parivartan Rally to be flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah on 2 November, the party is looking forward to taking advantage of the issue. While demands for resignation have been made by BJP leaders in the last few days immediately after the FIR was filed, the Congress is firm that it is with K.J. George. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in turn, accused the BJP of double standards. “The Union Cabinet has 20 ministers, including eight of Cabinet rank who have FIRs against them. Similarly, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has a 307 (IPC Section), attempt to murder case registered against him. Have they resigned? George resigned once earlier as Home Minister and was reinstated after state police closed the case. Why should he resign now?”

While the Chief Minister may have taken a tough position on the issue, with elections round the corner, even his aides agree that the BJP will get the much needed traction to launch an onslaught on the government. 

Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, Prakash Javadekar, Union minister and BJP’s Karnataka in-charge, said: “The Chief Minister may be shielding his closest aide, but by making political allegations, he is casting aspersions on the Supreme Court which has ordered a fresh enquiry by the CBI.”

Following the fresh FIR, sources told The Sunday Guardian that K.J. George and the others accused, moved quickly to apply for anticipatory bails. 

The CBI, which has been given 90 days to complete its investigation, seems to be in no hurry, as the FIR filed on 14 October was signed only on 26 October.