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Speaking astatine the yearly league of IPS officers recently, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the startling revelation that the State’s constabulary unit were themselves recovered to beryllium progressive successful 88 transgression cases past year, and booked. He termed the authorities of affairs “shameful”. His reprimand came aft a bid of high-profile cases made headlines, including an ATM currency van heist successful Bengaluru successful which a caput constable turned retired to beryllium the kingpin, and respective violations and alleged corruption successful Bengaluru’s Central Prison. Over the past year, the Maharashtra Police person busted narcotics manufacturing units successful Mysuru and Bengaluru, seizing worldly worthy respective crores. This shows the nonaccomplishment of the Karnataka Police to apprehension a azygous synthetic cause shaper passim the year.
The constitution has dealt with these embarrassing events by suspending constabulary personnel. Nearly 150 of them were suspended successful Bengaluru unsocial successful 2025 — including the City Police Commissioner successful transportation with the RCB stampede lawsuit — for corruption, transgression offences, oregon dereliction of duty.
However, the elephant successful the country is the allegedly pervasive ‘cash for postings’ problem, wherever constabulary postings are bought with money. Police sources accidental that the outgo of securing postings has go “astronomical,” worsening corruption. Given this alleged authorities of affairs, the enactment is either helpless oregon has mislaid the motivation authorization to propulsion up wrongdoers, they say. Suspensions person go an eyewash, arsenic astir officers are backmost successful enactment aft a abbreviated hiatus. None of them has faced terrible consequences.
Opposition leaders, peculiarly Union Minister and JD(S) person H.D. Kumaraswamy, person repeatedly alleged that determination is simply a ‘transfer dhandhe’, oregon transportation business, being tally by the State government. They allege that the Congress’s 5 warrant schemes devour into a large chunk of the State’s funds. As a result, different developmental works that earlier kept the “corruption economy” going person taken a hit, with cash-for-postings present occupying their place.
On December 17, 2025, determination was a three-hour statement connected Home Department issues during the wintertime league of the Legislative Assembly. Several leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashok, hinted that cash-for-postings were driving constabulary corruption. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, an MLA suspended from the BJP, said that the constabulary section could beryllium reformed lone if each the MLAs halt taking wealth from the police. Hinting astatine a “competitive bidding” to get postings, helium said, “If idiosyncratic has paid ₹50 crore to go Commissioner, erstwhile helium takes charge, helium has to invariably marque ₹100 crore, isn’t it?” The Home Minister did not answer.
Recently, a Bengaluru City Assistant Commissioner of Police was caught successful a trap lawsuit by the Lokayukta Police portion taking a bribe from a restaurateur. The restaurateur, who was the complainant, alleged that the serviceman was forcing him to wage ₹50,000 a month, to run his constitution beyond the 1 a.m. deadline adjacent though helium did not privation to bash concern beyond the deadline. A high-ranking serviceman told The Hindu that this “best encapsulates the crushed reality.” An SP successful the Lokayukta was himself accused of extortion successful the sanction of anti-corruption action.
In fact, the Home Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwara, who has been criticised for mishandling section affairs, has besides travel nether a unreality for his relation with arguable DGP, K. Ramachandra Rao. Mr. Rao’s stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, was arrested past year, aft she was caught smuggling golden astatine Bengaluru airport. She allegedly misused Mr. Rao’s constabulary escort to smuggle gold. The ED aboriginal raided acquisition institutions linked to Dr. Parameshwara successful transportation with the case. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar told the media that the raids were related to a diamond necklace that Dr. Parameshwara had talented Ms. Rao astatine her wedding. Mr. Rao was suspended past week implicit videos purportedly showing him successful compromising positions with women successful his office.
The postings of each IPS officers are handled by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, whose complaint is usually held by the Chief Minister, who besides controls the quality department. Together, these arrangements hollow retired the authorization of the Home Minister. If the Karnataka Police’s HR absorption has gone awry, work yet rests with the leadership.
