Bengaluru: The Karnataka government Tuesday suspended a DGP-rank police officer pending inquiry after videos circulating online purportedly showed him behaving inappropriately with women in his office.
“…it is observed that Dr K. Ramachandra Rao, Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, has acted in an obscene manner which is unbecoming of a Government Servant and also causing embarrassment of the Government,” the order issued by the Karnataka Governor said.
Government’s action comes after multiple videos purportedly showed Rao, a 1993-batch IPS officer, and his interactions at a government office. ThePrint could not immediately establish the authenticity of the videos.
In March last year, the IPS officer’s step daughter, 33-year-old Kannada actor Ranya Rao was arrested for smuggling over 14 kg of gold at the Bengaluru airport. It had emerged that she had misused state protocol to evade checking by authorities.
Rao currently serves as DGP at the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement or DCRE. He was appointed to his current post in August last year after being sent on compulsory leave for six months following his step daughter’s arrest. He was serving as chairman and managing director of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation at the time of the incident.
The IPS officer had at the time said he had no contact with his step daughter and distanced himself from any wrongdoing.
Ranya was caught on 3 March at Bengaluru international airport when she disembarked from an Emirates flight from Dubai with 14.2 kg of gold, valued at Rs 12.56 crore, “ingeniously concealed on person”, according to anti-smuggling agency Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
ThePrint reached Rao for comment via phone calls and WhatsApp messages Tuesday. This report will be updated if and when he responds.
Rao spoke to reporters outside Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara’s home in Bengaluru Monday. “I will speak to the lawyer and take action. It is shocking for me, it’s all fabricated and all lies. The video is all lies.”
This report has been updated to incorporate Rao’s comments to media persons.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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