The father and brother of M.K. Ganapathy, Deputy Superintendent of Police who allegedly committed suicide, on Friday moved the High Court of Karnataka seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Ganapathy’s death.
In their petition, M.K. Kushalappa and M.K. Machaiah, Ganapathy’s father and brother, respectively, said the case registered based on a magistrate court’s direction had to be referred to the CBI for a free, fair and impartial investigation as such a probe cannot be expected from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as all the accused persons hold high offices in the State government, which controls the CID.
Stating that there was no hope for an impartial probe by the CID as the former Minister K.J. George, one of the accused, had served as Home Minister under which the CID too functions. The petitioners pointed out that the FIR was registered only on the intervention of the magistrate court as the police had refused to registered it despite a complaint against the accused persons.
The petitioners claimed that the CID was likely to close the investigation with a ‘B’ report by exonerating Mr. George, and two senior IPS officers, also accused in the case, from all the charges levelled against them.
Pointing out that Ganapathy, who was discharging his duties honestly, was a jovial person engaged in sports and other activities and shared a healthy bonding with his family, Mr. Kushalappa claimed in the petition that his son was a fighter and he could not have committed suicide.
While suspecting “foul play” in Ganapathy’s death, the petitioners pointed out that two rounds of bullets were found to have been fired from his service revolver in the hotel room in Madikeri where the Dy. SP’s body was found hanging.
Justice A.S. Bopanna, before whom the petition came up for hearing, recused himself from hearing the case. The petition will now come up before an another judge.
No stayThe High Court on Friday declined to stay for now the criminal case registered against M.G. Krishnan, former Vice-Chancellor of the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), Mysuru, in connection with alleged irregularities in making payment to a private firm.
However, Justice Anand Byrareddy, before whom the petition came up for hearing, adjourned further hearing till September 23, directing the State to file its objections by then.
