BENGALURU: Playing hardball with the opposition over minister K J George's resignation, chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said the video statement by deputy superintendent of police M K Ganapathi before his death cannot be considered as dying declaration.

Ganapathi had accused George and two senior IPS officers - A M Prasad and Pronab Mohanty - of having subjected him to harassment. Based on Ganapathi's statement, the BJP and JDS have been demanding George's resignation and a CBI inquiry into the DSP's death.

Giving his reply on the issue in the legislative assembly, Siddaramaiah shot down the demand for George's resignation stating that there was no concrete evidence against the minister. Siddaramaiah's defence was: "Ganapathi has not complained to his seniors or to the government about harassment from anyone. He has also not alerted the police complaints authority about his grievances. It is difficult to think that Ganapathi was harassed."

Siddaramaiah also ruled out a CBI probe stating that the state CID was capable of conducting investigation. "We had given eight cases to the CBI so far, but nothing has happened. So it is better to continue with the CID probe."

The opposition, however, was not enthused. Former minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai charged the CM with setting the tone of inquiry for the CID by giving a clean chit to the trio named by Ganapathi before his death. Why will the CID go against what the CM has mentioned in the house, Bommai asked.