New Delhi - Chief minister Siddaramaiah is set to take former minister KJ George back in the cabinet after the state CID cleared him of all charges in the death of police officer MK Ganapathi, sources close to the Karnataka CM said on Sunday.
The sources indicated this could happen as early as within a week, or at least in a month's time.
When asked about it George told News18 that it is "the prerogative of the chief minister to decide whom to include in the cabinet".
This comes a day after 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 DySP Ganapathi's statement - made shortly before he was found dead - naming the minister as one of 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 he would get them back if his name was 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.
Yeddyurappa, who is also the state BJP chief, has said his party will launch a state wide agitation against the clean chit to George and press the demand for a CBI probe.
DySP 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 also transferred; but now they have also got a clean chit from the CID.
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