Bengaluru: Former Minister KJ George was sworn in as a cabinet minister in Karnataka government on Monday, a week after the Karnataka CID cleared him of all charges in the suicide case of Mengaluru Deputy SP MK Ganapathi. On the same day, News18 had reported that George would be reinstated as a minister within a week or in a month's time.
The CID submitted a report at the local court in Kodagu district giving a clean chit to George who had to quit as Bengaluru Development minister when a TV channel aired a video of Dy SP Ganapathi's statement - made shortly before he was found dead - naming the minister as one of the persons harassing him.
The CM had to drop him and order a probe after Opposition parties stalled the Karnataka assembly, and former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa raised the issue in Parliament in July.
After George's resignation Siddaramaiah kept his portfolios with himself and, sources in the government indicate, there was an understanding that he would get his portfolios back if cleared in the CID probe.
George, who earlier handled the home portfolio, is considered close to Sonia Gandhi and acts as a link between Siddaramaiah and the Congress high command. He is also a very influential MLA from Bengaluru city with a big following.
Dy SP Ganapathi committed suicide in July alleging harassment from George and two senior IPS officers ADGP AM Prasad and IGP Pronab Mohanty. After George's resignation, these two officers were transferred, but they were also given clean chit by Karnataka CID due to lack of evidence.
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