Karnataka minister K.J. George, who has been booked in connection with police officer M.K. Ganapathy's suicide case, on Friday said that the case registered against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was political vendetta.
The CBI had on Thursday registered a case against George, a minister for Bengaluru Development and Town Planning, and three other senior police officers in connection with Ganapathy's suicide.
Speaking to ANI, George further said that he would wait for the CBI investigation and the report.
"I will wait for CBI probe. Let the CBI investigate and give report first then I will comment. Let them conduct a free and fair investigation," he said.
Responding to BJP's stance demanding his resignation, George said, "They don't have faith on their own CBI. This is political vendetta against me. I have always said that if my CM will ask for my resignation, I will put my paper within a second."
Earlier in the day, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called for a meeting of senior ministers at Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru to discuss the issue. He later clarified that George need not resign from the state cabinet as he was inducted after the Criminal Investigation Department's (CID) B report.
"K.J. George inducted back in cabinet after CID's B report, now BJP asking for resignation. He doesn't need to resign," the chief minister said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had demanded the removal of George from the Karnataka Cabinet after the CBI registered case against him.
Siddaramaiah further stated that George cannot influence Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as he is not a home minister now.
Ganapathy allegedly killed himself in a lodge in Kodagu on July 7, 2016 when he was the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mangaluru. In a video message, he named George, and senior police officials A.M. Prasad and Pranab Mohanty responsible for his extreme step.
On September 5, the apex court ordered a CBI investigation into the former cop's suicide.
While hearing the plea of Ganapathy's father, M.K. Kushalapp, the Supreme Court said that "there are certain startling facts in the case. Whether it is murder or suicide, it is required to be investigated in a fair manner."
Kushalapp had moved the apex court, challenging the order of the Karnataka High Court, which rejected his plea for CBI probe into the death case.
