With the Karnataka high court refusing to stay proceedings in DySP M.K. Ganapathi suicide case, the Karnataka government should ask the two IPS officers named as accused in the case to go on leave.
After the Kodagu police refused to file an FIR on a complaint by Ganapathi’s wife Pavana and son Nehal, the son filed a private complaint at a magistrate’s court in Madikeri which ordered filing of the FIR in which George and the two IPS officers were named as accused.
While George resigned from the ministry under public pressure, the IPS officers approached the high court to quash the proceedings in the Madikeri court. Judge Anand Byrareddy told the counsel for the officers: “No stay or quashing of proceedings… Sorry. You are trying to nip everything in the bud.”
Following the suicide of Ganapathi, the state government transferred Ashit Mohan Prasad, State intelligence chief, to a new post, Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety and Pronab Mohanty (IGP-Lokayukta), was appointed as Deputy Director-General of Unique Identification Authority of India, Bengaluru.
There is still confusion over who should investigate the case – the CID which was initially asked to investigate or the Madikeri police who filed the FIR following a court order.
In view of the confusion, the high court has asked the public prosecutor to clarify the legal position by July 28 “to expedite the probe.”
In the circumstances, the state government has to ask the two police officers to go on leave as there is fear that they could influence the investigation by virtue of the fact that they both are top IPS officers.
From day one, the Siddarmaiah-led Congress government has been trying to protect the erstwhile home minister George and the two IPS officers. The government went to the extent of claiming that family problems led to the suicide.