Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said the decision to revoke the suspension of senior IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao had been taken by chief minister Siddaramaiah, a day after the state government reinstated the officer weeks before his retirement.
Speaking in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms had withdrawn the suspension with the chief minister’s approval as Rao is due to retire at the end of May.
“I am not here to say whether the suspension was withdrawn or not. That will be up to the DPR and the Chief Minister. He said that they have taken the decision,” Parameshwara said.
The home minister said Rao had submitted an explanation to the chief minister and sought a review of the suspension in view of his impending retirement. According to Parameshwara, Rao had also requested that the inquiry against him continue.
“I knew that Ramachandra Rao had given an explanation to the CM. He had requested that the suspension decision be reviewed in the light of my retirement. In the request, he had asked that the investigation be continued. The investigation will continue until the case is finalized. A decision will be taken based on the report received in the investigation,” he said.
Parameshwara added that retirement would not necessarily shield an officer from disciplinary consequences and said pension benefits had been withheld in several cases even after retirement.
{{/usCountry}}Parameshwara added that retirement would not necessarily shield an officer from disciplinary consequences and said pension benefits had been withheld in several cases even after retirement.
{{/usCountry}}The Karnataka government on Wednesday revoked Rao’s suspension. The Director General of Police-rank officer had been suspended in January after a video purportedly showing him in a compromising position with women inside his office surfaced on social media.
In an order issued on Wednesday evening, the government said Rao had been reinstated with immediate effect and posted as Director General of Police (Police Manual) until further orders.
“The Government of Karnataka, in exercise of the powers conferred under Rule-3(7)(c) of AIS (D&A) Rules. 1969, hereby revokes the order of suspension and reinstates Dr. K Ramachandra Rao. IPS (KN: 1993) into service with immediate effect and the officer is posted with immediate effect and until further orders as Director General of Police (Police Manual). Now, the Government has decided to revoke the suspension of the officer and reinstate him to service,” the order read.
Rao is scheduled to retire on May 30. Disciplinary proceedings against him were initiated on March 18 under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.
Earlier in 2025, Rao was also embroiled in controversy after his stepdaughter, Kannada actor Ranya Rao, was arrested in a gold-smuggling case. Allegations later emerged that he had allowed her to bypass airport security checks, after which he was sent on compulsory leave. He was later recalled and posted as DGP in August.