Sasikala jail bribery charge: 2 top jail officials transferred

DGP-rank officer sent on compulsory leave

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Monday transferred two top jail officials who were locked in a public spat over allegations of “special” treatment to AIADMK (Amma) leader V.K. Sasikala and other “erroneous” practises in the central prison. DGP (prisons) H.N. Sathyanarayana Rao and DIG (Prisons) D. Roopa, who had brought bribery allegations against him, were shifted with immediate effect.

As a fallout of the charges of corruption and irregularities in the prison department, the two top heads of the prison department — DGP H. N. Sathyanarayana Rao and DIG D. Roopa Moudgil — have been shunted out of the department, while DIG and chief superintendent of the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, Krishna Kumar, has also been transferred without any posting.

While Mr Rao has been sent on compulsory leave, Ms Moudgil has been transferred and posted as Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety. This is, perhaps, the first time in the history of Karnataka that an officer of the rank of DGP is being retired unceremoniously, as Mr Rao has not been given any posting, with just 14 days left for him to hang up his boots. Ms Moudgil’s transfer too is being dubbed “punishment transfer”, as her report on the alleged irregularities at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison had embarrassed the government.

Explaining the reason behind transferring the two officers, the government clarified that the step was taken to maintain the sanctity of the inquiry process and to safeguard it from further interference. The government also stated that the interaction of both the police officers with the media amounted to serious violation of All-India