DY SP GANAPATHY’S DEATH: ROLE OF CM, GEORGE & CID UNDER SCANNER

 By P.T. Bopanna

As suspected from the beginning, it has now come to light that Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka had allegedly tampered with evidence to shield the role of minister K.J. George (in picture) in the death of DY S.P., M.K. Ganapathy (in picture) who was found hanging in a lodge at Madikeri July last year.

In an investigation carried out by Times Now television channel, it has come to light from the forensic evidence that there was tampering of evidence in the case.

The advocate of the Ganapathy family which has gone to the Supreme Court demanding justice, has been quoted as saying: “The forensic report reportedly says that at least 335 contacts had been deleted from Ganapathy’s phone, besides 2,400 photographs, 110 emails, 61 SMSs and 145 PDF documents. Call records pertaining to a prominent MLA and a minister too have been deleted but the CID had filed a closure report in the case.” 

 In the light of the new evidence, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa has alleged that the chief minister was protecting minister George. Yediyurappa added that a BJP delegation will call on Union home minister Rajnath Singh on August 26 and apprise him on the need for a CBI inquiry.

Ganapathy’s brother M. K. Machaiah has gone on record to say that the family has no faith in the state’s investigating agencies. “We have been asking the state government to hand over the case to the CBI but it never did and always maintained that it was a suicide. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report has proved that the CID officers destroyed crucial evidence to shield ministers and officers.” 

From the beginning, the Karnataka government used every dirty trick in its bag to save George, said to be the main fund-raiser in Karnataka for the Sonia Gandhi-led Congress party.

However, the government’s plans came a cropper as the Kodagu Additional Judicial Magistrate Annapurneshwari ordered Madikeri police to file an FIR against George, Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) A.M. Prasad and Lokayukta Inspector General of Police Pranob Mohanty on a private complaint filed by Ganapathi’s elder son Nehal.

The Karnataka CID police which was entrusted with the investigation, submitted a ‘B’ report, citing lack of evidence over harassment charges levelled by Ganapathi against George and the IPS officers Pronab Mohanty and A.M. Prasad.

Soon after the ‘B’ report was submitted, George was re-inducted into the Cabinet by Siddarmaiah last September, raising suspicion on the haste in which he was brought back to the Cabinet.  

With the latest disclosure made in the FSL report, it is not just George and Siddarmaiah, but also the CID will come under the scanner for alleged tampering of evidence and giving a clean chit without taking into consideration the forensic evidence.  Only a CBI inquiry can bring out the truth behind the death of Dy SP Ganapathy.