KJ George quit as Karnataka Minister is back

Weeks after forced to resign as minister over the suicide of a police officer, KJ George has returned to the Karnataka government.

Mr George, who is said to be close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, was accused of a role in the alleged suicide of police officer MK Ganapathy and also named in a police complaint.

On September 17, the state Criminal Investigation Department or CID told the court it had found no evidence linking Mr George with the death.

Mr Ganapathy, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was found hanging in a room inside a lodge in Madikeri, around 280 km from Bengaluru, on July 7.

Mr George resigned on July 18 after a court, responding to a request from the police officer’s son, asked for a FIR or formal complaint. He was in charge of Bengaluru and the home ministry when he was forced to quit amid opposition protests.

With Mr George’s return – strongly opposed by the opposition BJP and Janata Dal Secular – the strength of the Siddaramaiah ministry now stands at 34, which is the constitutional limit for the state.

A new minister M Krishnappa joined the government earlier this month.