Bengaluru: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of Dy.SP M.K. Ganapathy has picked up pace and yesterday, the CBI sleuths grilled the Police officer’s sister Sabitha. Ganapathy’s body was found hanging in the room number 315 of the Vinayaka Lodge near the Madikeri Private Bus Stand on July 7, 2016.

Ganapathy had given an interview shortly before to a local television channel making various accusations against Minister K.J. George and two senior Police officers, Pranob Mohanty and A.M. Prasad.

It may be recalled here that the CBI has taken over the investigation, in the third week of October, following Supreme Court directive. Experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Delhi, accompanied CBI sleuths to the crime scene and conducted a mahazar during which a piece of a bullet was recovered from the bed on Nov.14.

According to sources, the CBI team from Chennai Zone is headed by Dy.SP G. Kalaimani. The team which collected evidence from the lodge questioned Ganapathy’s brother Satish Machaiah, Madikeri Town Circle Inspector I.P. Medappa and Inspector M. Bharath.

The team also questioned local channel’s cameraman Prasad, who recorded Ganapathy’s interview that day. He had told the channel about harassment by senior officers. Ganapathy told the channel, “If anything happens to me, Pranob Mohanty, A.M. Prasad and Minister K.J. George are directly responsible.”

Yesterday, the team left for Bengaluru and had summoned Ganapathy’s sister Sabitha, who stays in Bengaluru, to the CBI office at Ganganagar. Sabitha’s interrogation was done by CBI SP Sharavana who asked her about Ganapathy’s behaviour before suicide. He asked her if the family members had observed something strange in his behaviour and also sought details of the telephonic conversation that took place between the family members and Ganapathy days before his death.

SP Sharavana questioned Sabitha for more than five hours and sought details in case Ganapathy, during his conversations, had mentioned the names of Minister K.J. George and two senior Police officers, Pranob Mohanty and A.M. Prasad. He also asked Sabitha about Ganapathy’s lifestyle, friends’ circle and family details.

Sources said that Ganapathy was pretty close with his sister Sabitha who had even taken him to hospital many times following health issues. The Police officer is said to have confided with his sister about the harassment meted out to him by certain seniors in the Department and the political bosses. It is in the light of this, the CBI has interrogated Sabitha, sources said.

Speaking to reporters, Sabitha said that the CBI wanted specific details on her brother and some documentary evidence. “I have explained in detail about whatever I know and also have submitted certain documents to SP Sharavana,” she said.