Karnataka: BJP demands resignation of minister KJ George over SC order on CBI probe

Bengaluru: BJP on Saturday staged a demonstration here demanding the resignation of Karnataka Minister KJ George in the wake of the Supreme Court ordering a CBI probe into the alleged suicide of a deputy superintendent, who had accused him and some senior IPS officers of harassing him.

The apex court had on September five ordered a CBI probe into the death of MK Ganapathy, a deputy superintendent of Karnataka police, saying there were “startling facts” in the case which needed to be probed in a fair manner.

Led by BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa, a large number of party leaders and workers turned up at the Mourya Circle here asking George to step down as a minister, saying otherwise the probe might be influenced.

Lok Sabha members Shobha Karandlaje, B Sriramulu and Pratap Simha and party leaders, including KE Eshwarappa, took part in the protest.

Sriramulu said he was a minister when Yeddyurappa was the chief minister but resigned when his name figured in the Lokayukta report in connection with illegal iron ore mining.

The 51-year-old Ganapathy was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a room at a lodge at Madikeri in Kodagu district on 7 July last year, with the mystery surrounding the death raising a huge political controversy.

Prior to the alleged suicide, Ganapathy had told a local TV channel in an interview that the then home minister George and two senior police officers AM Prasad and Pranab Mohanty would be responsible “if anything happens to me”.

The Supreme Court had also asked the CBI to file a status report on the probe within three months.