State of Play | Rot in the ranks

Speaking at the annual conference of IPS officers recently, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah made the startling revelation that the State’s police personnel were themselves found to be involved in 88 criminal cases last year, and booked. He termed the state of affairs “shameful”. His reprimand came after a series of high-profile cases made headlines, including an ATM cash van heist in Bengaluru in which a head constable turned out to be the kingpin, and several violations and alleged corruption in Bengaluru’s Central Prison. Over the past year, the Maharashtra Police have busted narcotics manufacturing units in Mysuru and Bengaluru, seizing material worth several crores. This shows the failure of the Karnataka Police to arrest a single synthetic drug producer throughout the year.

The establishment has dealt with these embarrassing events by suspending police personnel. Nearly 150 of them were suspended in Bengaluru alone in 2025 — including the City Police Commissioner in connection with the RCB stampede case — for corruption, criminal offences, or dereliction of duty.

However, the elephant in the room is the allegedly pervasive ‘cash for postings’ problem, where police postings are bought with money. Police sources say that the cost of securing postings has become “astronomical,” worsening corruption. Given this alleged state of affairs, the leadership is either helpless or has lost the moral authority to pull up wrongdoers, they say. Suspensions have become an eyewash, as most officers are back in action after a short hiatus. None of them has faced severe consequences.

Opposition leaders, particularly Union Minister and JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy, have repeatedly alleged that there is a ‘transfer dhandhe’, or transfer business, being run by the State government. They allege that the Congress’s five guarantee schemes eat into a major chunk of the State’s funds. As a result, other developmental works that earlier kept the “corruption economy” going have taken a hit, with cash-for-postings now occupying their place.

On December 17, 2025, there was a three-hour debate on Home Department issues during the winter session of the Legislative Assembly. Several leaders, including the Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashok, hinted that cash-for-postings were driving police corruption. Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, an MLA suspended from the BJP, said that the police department could be reformed only if all the MLAs stop taking money from the police. Hinting at a “competitive bidding” to get postings, he said, “If someone has paid ₹50 crore to become Commissioner, once he takes charge, he has to invariably make ₹100 crore, isn’t it?” The Home Minister did not answer.

Recently, a Bengaluru City Assistant Commissioner of Police was caught in a trap case by the Lokayukta Police while 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 operate his establishment beyond the 1 a.m. deadline even though he did not want to do business beyond the deadline. A high-ranking officer told The Hindu that this “best encapsulates the ground reality.” An SP in the Lokayukta was himself accused of extortion in the name of anti-corruption action.

In fact, the Home Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwara, who has been criticised for mishandling department affairs, has also come under a cloud for his association with controversial DGP, K. Ramachandra Rao. Mr. Rao’s stepdaughter, Ranya Rao, was arrested last year, after she was caught smuggling gold at Bengaluru airport. She allegedly misused Mr. Rao’s police escort to smuggle gold. The ED later raided educational institutions linked to Dr. Parameshwara in connection 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 gifted Ms. Rao at her wedding. Mr. Rao was suspended last week over videos purportedly showing him in compromising positions with women in his office.

The postings of all IPS officers are handled by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, whose charge is usually held by the Chief Minister, who also controls the intelligence department. Together, these arrangements hollow out the authority of the Home Minister. If the Karnataka Police’s HR management has gone awry, responsibility ultimately rests with the leadership.