Complaint filed against Siddaramaiah with Lokayukta over cop transfers

Bengaluru: A complaint has been filed against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and 27 other ministers with the Karnataka Lokayukta on Thursday over transfer of police officers in the state.

The complainant was filed by Chief of Karnataka Police Mahasangha, Shashidhar Venugopal.

Venugopal had approached the Lokayukta against Siddaramaiah and 27 ministers of his cabinet. He alleged that large scale corruption took place in transfer of police officials on New Year eve.

Last year, 41 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers were transferred in a major reshuffle of the police force in Karnataka on December 31.

Besides Siddaramaiah and his ministers, Venugopal has also named 21 police officers in his complaint. Venugopal alleged that police officials paid money to ministers for favourable transfers and appointments.

Venugopal had urged the Lokayukta to launch a probe against all names in his complaint.

Reports had earlier stated that, Siddaramaiah had tried to bring up a mix of old and new police officers in Bengaluru and other places keeping in mind the 2018- Assembly elections.

Those who were transferred from their posts included the then police commissioner of Bengaluru city, N. S Megharik, who was made the chief of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).