File FIR against three in Karnataka DySP's suicide case: Court to cops

MYSURU: In a major development, the Principal JMFC Court in Madikeri on Monday directed the police to register an FIR against former Home Minister K.J. George, ADGP (Intelligence) Ashit Mohan Prasad and IGP (Lokayukta) Pronab Mohanty, who were named by DySP M.K. Ganapati in a video statement before taking his life.

Hearing a private complaint filed by Mr Ganapati’s son Nehal M.G. seeking directions to the police to register the FIR, Magistrate Annapoorneswari passed the order on Monday, directing the Madikeri Town police, who had taken up an unnatural death case but had not registered the FIR, to register it immediately.

Observing that the deceased had named a few people before taking his life, the court directed the police to register the case under 306 (abetment of suicide) against those people and to carry out a fair probe.

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“It is a moral victory for Mr Ganapati’s family. Only his son Nehal was present in the court at the time of judgement. Abetment of suicide is a cognisable offence. The police can arrest the accused without issuing any warrant. They don’t need permission from the Governor or the Speaker. Based on the court direction, the Madikeri Town police should register the FIR and submit a chargesheet to the court within 60 days. Based on the report, the family can decide on their next move,” said advocate Amrit Somaiah P.N., who appeared on behalf of Nehal.

Nehal moved court after the Kushalnagara Rural police had refused to register the FIR based on the second complaint filed by his mother Pavana. In his private complaint to the court, he stated, “My father M.K. Ganapati before his tragic end had on visual media made a dying declaration, naming the accused K.J. George, Pronab Mohanty and A.M. Prasad as responsible for his death which was telecast on visual media and social media. Mr George and Mr Prasad used to harass my father which ultimately ended in his sad demise. Suspecting foul play in my father’s death, I had approached the Sub Inspector of Police of Kushalnagar, Somwarpet taluk in Kodagu district with a written complaint and it was rejected by him. The accused are highly placed and influential people and have prevailed upon the police from taking action against them using the power conferred by their office. As a result, the jurisdictional police concerned have not taken any action against above named accused. Hence the complaint.”

Senior IPS officers Prasad, Mohanty asked to go on leave?
The two senior IPS officers, ADGP (Intelligence) Ashit Mohan Prasad and IGP (Lokayukta) Pronab Mohanty, who were named by DySP M.K. Ganapati before taking his life, have been reportedly directed by the government to go on compulsory leave.

Sources said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, after taking the resignation of Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George, who was also named by the officer, directed the home department to send both the officers on compulsory leave.

“Generally, IPS officers are sent on compulsory leave as a punishment, when there is no evidence to suspend them. As there is no evidence in the case against both these senior officers, the government decided to send them of leave, owing to the pressure from opposition parties and other circles. It is also an exercise in maintaining a clean image by giving a message to the public that the government acted against the officers in question,” a senior official said.