CID files closure report in DySP MK Ganapati case
There was nothing to establish the charge of abetment against the accused, says official.
Bengaluru: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday submitted a closure report in a case pertaining to the abetment of suicide of Mangaluru Deputy Superintendent of Police M.K. Ganapati by then Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George and senior IPS officers – Pronab Mohanty and Asit Mohan Prasad.
The ‘B’ report in the case (FIR 89/16) was submitted in the JMFC Court in Madikeri, under whose direction the local police had registered a case of abetment (Sect 306 IPC) against the three accused.
“There was nothing to establish the charge of abetment against the accused. That is the reason the CID has filed the B report in the court. The late officer had alleged harassment at the hands of the accused in a TV interview, but we have not found any evidence to back his allegations,” said an official source.
Mr Ganapati was found dead on July 7 in a private lodge in Madikeri. According to the police, he had fired two rounds from his service gun and two empty cartridges were found at the scene of crime. Based on his father’s complaint, the police had registered a case of unnatural death report (UDR) under Section 174 of CrPC.
The government had transferred the UDR case to CID, but later on the court’s direction the police registered a case of abetment against the accused, which was again transferred to the CID after the High Court on July 28 observed that the case should be monitored by a senior IPS officer and that the DGP was vested with the powers to direct any officer to carry out the investigation.
Legal hurdle for George’s return
Despite the CID giving clean chit to Mr. George and two senior IPS officers, the chances of Mr. George returning to the cabinet are very less, as Mr Ganapati's father and brother moved the Karnataka High Court seeking for a CBI probe into the case, on Friday.
In case the state government takes Mr George back to the cabinet, again the opposition parties would raise questions as the petition is still pending before the HC. Also, there are talks that ADGP A. M. Prasad would be re-posted as the head of state intelligence, from where he was shunted out after the FIR was filed against him.
It is likely that the government would not do this, unless the HC decides on the petition. Further, the CID giving clean chit to another IPS officer Pronab Mohanty would not have any impact on his posting, as he was sent of central deputation as per his choice.