Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the startling revelation that the State’s police personnel have been themselves discovered to be concerned in 88 felony circumstances final yea
Speaking on the annual convention of IPS officers lately, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the startling revelation that the State’s police personnel have been themselves discovered to be concerned in 88 felony circumstances final 12 months, and booked. He termed the state of affairs “shameful”. His reprimand got here after a collection of high-profile circumstances made headlines, together with an ATM money van heist in Bengaluru by which a head constable turned out to be the kingpin, and several other violations and alleged corruption in Bengaluru’s Central Jail. Over the previous 12 months, the Maharashtra Police have busted narcotics manufacturing items in Mysuru and Bengaluru, seizing materials value a number of crores. This reveals the failure of the Karnataka Police to arrest a single artificial drug producer all year long.
The institution has handled these embarrassing occasions by suspending police personnel. Practically 150 of them have been suspended in Bengaluru alone in 2025 — together with the Metropolis Police Commissioner in reference to the RCB stampede case — for corruption, felony offences, or dereliction of obligation.
Nevertheless, the elephant within the room is the allegedly pervasive ‘money for postings’ drawback, the place police postings are purchased with cash. Police sources say that the price of securing postings has change into “astronomical,” worsening corruption. Given this alleged state of affairs, the management is both helpless or has misplaced the ethical authority to drag up wrongdoers, they are saying. Suspensions have change into an eyewash, as most officers are again in motion after a brief hiatus. None of them has confronted extreme penalties.
Opposition leaders, significantly Union Minister and JD(S) chief H.D. Kumaraswamy, have repeatedly alleged that there’s a ‘switch dhandhe’, or switch enterprise, being run by the State authorities. They allege that the Congress’s 5 assure schemes eat into a serious chunk of the State’s funds. In consequence, different developmental works that earlier stored the “corruption financial system” going have taken a success, with cash-for-postings now occupying their place.
On December 17, 2025, there was a three-hour debate on House Division points throughout the winter session of the Legislative Meeting. A number of leaders, together with the Chief of the Opposition, R. Ashok, hinted that cash-for-postings have been driving police corruption. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, an MLA suspended from the BJP, stated that the police division might be reformed provided that all of the MLAs cease taking cash from the police. Hinting at a “aggressive bidding” to get postings, he stated, “If somebody has paid ₹50 crore to change into Commissioner, as soon as he takes cost, he has to invariably make ₹100 crore, isn’t it?” The House Minister didn’t reply.
Lately, a Bengaluru Metropolis Assistant Commissioner of Police was caught in a entice case by the Lokayukta Police whereas taking a bribe from a restaurateur. The restaurateur, who was the complainant, alleged that the officer was forcing him to pay ₹50,000 a month, to function his institution past the 1 a.m. deadline regardless that he didn’t need to do enterprise past the deadline. A high-ranking officer instructed The Hindu that this “greatest encapsulates the bottom actuality.” An SP within the Lokayukta was himself accused of extortion within the title of anti-corruption motion.
The truth is, the House Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwara, who has been criticised for mishandling division affairs, has additionally come below a cloud for his affiliation with controversial DGP, Okay. Ramachandra Rao. Mr. Rao’s stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, was arrested final 12 months, after she was caught smuggling gold at Bengaluru airport. She allegedly misused Mr. Rao’s police escort to smuggle gold. The ED later raided academic establishments linked to Dr. Parameshwara in reference to the case. Deputy Chief Minister D.Okay. Shivakumar instructed the media that the raids have been associated to a diamond necklace that Dr. Parameshwara had gifted Ms. Rao at her wedding ceremony. Mr. Rao was suspended final week over movies purportedly displaying him in compromising positions with girls in his workplace.
The postings of all IPS officers are dealt with by the Division of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, whose cost is often held by the Chief Minister, who additionally controls the intelligence division. Collectively, these preparations hole out the authority of the House Minister. If the Karnataka Police’s HR administration has gone awry, duty in the end rests with the management.
Printed – January 26, 2026 12:25 am IST
