Karnataka's Home Secretary D Roopa has been making the headlines lately as she's been at the forefront of the raging controversy around the Safe City Project for Bengaluru. In this context, Roopa, IPS, had been engaged in a war of words with Himanth Nimbalkar, another senior IPS officer who is the Additional Commissioner of Police (Administration), Bengaluru and chief of the tendering committee for the project. But the upright IPS officer became the victim of bureaucracy for highlighting a possible scam.
On Thursday, D Roopa was transferred from her current post as the Managing Director of Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation, Bengaluru. Reacting to the state government's decision, the IPS officer questioned the lack of disciplinary action with respect to the potential scam and Safe City Project.
"Transferred today as MD, Handicrafts Emporium. My transfer is like putting me on an equal footing with other IPS officer Nimbalkar chargesheeted by CBI & CBI has recommended for Disciplinary action of Major Penalty against him in last December, one year ago, which is not yet done," Roopa wrote on Twitter.
What is the controversy all about?
Roopa, IPS, had accused IPS officer Nimbalkar of floating a biased and unfair tender favouring a certain vendor and also alleged that the public sector unit BEL was wrongly disqualified in the tender. Nimbalkar, on the other hand, alleged that Roopa was interfering with the process without any authority.
Nimbalkar has been chargesheeted by the CBI in the alleged IMA case. Roopa, in a letter to the Chief Secretary Vijaya Bhaskar, alleged that the Home Department was quick to launch a "false and motivated" complaint against her, but no action was taken against Nimbalkar despite CBI seeking sanction of prosecution against him. In fact, the junior police officers accused in the IMA scam were suspended.
"However, for months, the ACS, Home Department, Sri Rajneesh Goel IAS has failed to submit the draft major disciplinary proceedings to the DPAR(Services). The said delays are deliberate and help Shri Hemant Nimbalkar, IPS. Kindly, contrast this with immediate and lightening speed approval of enquiry by the same ACS, Home Department, Sri Rajneesh Goel IAS on the false and motivated report of Shri Hemant Nimbalkar submitted on Safe City Project issue," the letter accessed by TNM had said.
Besides Roopa's transfer in wake of the controversy, Nimbalkar has also been shifted to the Internal Security Department, Bengaluru. Other transfers of state's IPS and IAS officers have also been made by the state government. IPS Malini Krishnamoorthy is now the Additional Director General of Police & Principal Secretary to Government (PCAS), Home Department, while IPS Dr. K Ramachandra Rao has been transferred to Grievances & Human Rights Department, Bengaluru.
Who is D Roopa?
Roopa Divakar Moudgil is a recipient of the President Police Medal. She is the first female IPS officer of Karnataka and the first woman to hold the post of the Home Secretary in the state.
She rose to fame in 2017 when she was transferred from her post as Deputy Inspector General Prisons, days after she alleged that AIADMK leader VK Sasikala was enjoying VIP treatment during her jail team at Parappana Agrahara central prison. IPS Roopa had been transferred 41 times in 17 years till 2017, media reports said.
(Disclaimer: International Business Times has approached Hemanth Nimbalkar, IPS for a quote. As soon as we receive his response, this story will be duly updated)
