BENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Tuesday suspended a DGP-rank IPS officer, Ramachandra Rao, after a video allegedly showing him in intimate moments with multiple women inside his official office surfaced on social media.
The decision followed mounting public outrage and political controversy over the officer’s alleged conduct within a public office. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reviewed the matter after seeking a detailed report from the concerned department on Monday, and the suspension was ordered the following day.
Sources said the Chief Minister was visibly upset after viewing the footage and questioned how such an incident could occur within the police establishment. The episode also intensified political pressure on the ruling Congress government, with opposition parties demanding strict action and a formal inquiry.
The viral video purportedly shows Rao, a DGP-rank officer and father of gold smuggling accused Ranya Rao, hugging and kissing different women inside his official chamber while in uniform and during office hours. The visuals appear to have been secretly recorded on different occasions, with the women seen wearing different outfits.
Rao has strongly denied the allegations, claiming the video is fabricated and morphed. “This is a false and fabricated video. People are deliberately targeting me,” he said, adding that he was posted in Belagavi eight years ago and that legal action is being initiated.
Amid the controversy, Rao also met the state Home Minister to discuss the matter. However, the meeting did not prevent the state government from proceeding with his suspension.
