DySP Ganapathy’s death has continued to be the centre of debate in the state, with the Opposition continuing its attack in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking in the Assembly, JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said that the interview Ganapathy gave to the local media channel should have been taken as a dying declaration, as the Supreme Court had in the past directed that such statements be considered as the dying declaration. “Before he killed himself, he spoke to that channel. He said with folded hands, ‘What I’m saying is the truth’. He showed several documents. The channel telecast it. How much pain would he have been in?”

He questioned the government’s acceptance of the complaint lodged by Ganapathy’s brother Kushalappa. “You should have taken a statement from the man (the journalist) before whom Ganapathy confessed, before whom he (Ganapathy) made a dying declaration. You should have registered a case based on that statement. But if you say you are registering a case on Kushalappa’s complaint, in which he is alleging that Ganapathy and his wife had strained relations, that his wife was harassing him, you should ask yourself if you are following the law.”

On Monday, Leader of the Opposition Jagadish Shettar too had made the same demand, and said that Ganapathy’s interview to the television channel should have been considered as the dying declaration under Section 32(1) of the Indian Evidence Act.

Speaking on Tuesday, Kumaraswamy said that he was not accepting Ganapathy’s statement as fact, as guilt of the two officers or of Bengaluru Minister KJ George, who were named. However, an investigation should be launched into Ganapathy’s death.

While the Assembly was in session, BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa demanded KJ George’s resignation during a Kodava Samaja meeting in Bengaluru.

“Action should be taken against those who were named (in Ganapathy’s statement), they should be relieved from duty. If KJ George continues to be minister, an impartial probe will not be possible, so his resignation must be obtained,” Yeddyurappa said.

Ganapathy is suspected to have killed himself on Saturday. He was found dead, hanging from the ceiling of a lodge in Madikeri, Kodagu district, a few hours after he gave an interview to a local television channel. He was serving as DySP in Mangaluru city.