Senior Karnataka IPS officer D Roopa has expressed her disappointment after she was transferred out from her post of Home Secretary following her recent whistleblowing exercise with regards to alleged wrongdoing in the tendering process of the multi-crore Bengaluru Safe City project.
It was reported on Thursday that Roopa and her colleague, Hemant Nimbalkar, who had publicly exchanged charges of impropriety over the Safe City tendering process, were both given new postings. Roopa, who was appointed as the first woman Home Secretary only in August 2019, was shifted out and has now been given the position of Managing Director of state’s Handicrafts Emporium. Nimbalkar, who was the Additional Commissioner of Police (Administration), Bengaluru has been given charge of the Internal Security Division. These transfers were made along with other transfers/promotions within the state’s IPS officer cadre.
Roopa has said that this transfer has put her on “equal footing” with Nimbalkar, who has been chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the multicore IMA ponzi scheme case.
In a tweet made on Thursday, she wrote, “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.”
However, she has hinted that she will not contest the transfer order, and added that “posts don’t matter,” but the “corrupt must be punished.” She tweeted, “I am joining the new post tomorrow as posts don't matter to me. But what matters is, public interest must be upheld and the corrupt must be punished. If my shift paves the way for action on the corrupt, I welcome it.”
She added, “Karnataka pioneers in handicrafts in the country, especially, sandalwood, rosewood, bidriware etc. As MD of Handicrafts Emporium I will be able to give impetus to the work of lakhs together artesans & showcase their work in India & abroad, through our famous "Cauvery Emporium".”
TNM on Thursday had reported about a letter written by the Roopa to Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar questioning the double standards shown by Rajneesh Goel, Additional Chief Secretary, in dealing with corruption charges. She has written that while she was subjected to an enquiry following a complaint by Nimbalkar, no action has been taken against him even though he has been chargesheeted by the CBI. She added that he has also been spared even after multiple complaints were made against the tendering process of the Safe City Project which he was overlooking
It may be recalled that this is not the first time that Roopa has been ‘unceremoniously’ transferred out of her position. In September 2017, she was transferred out of the Prisons Department after she blew the lid off the special treatment of high profile prisoners, especially Sasikala.