‘No official above law’: K’taka CM Siddaramaiah on viral video involving top cop
Bengaluru, Jan 19 (IANS) Reacting to allegations of inappropriate behaviour involving Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said no officer is above the law and that disciplinary action would be initiated if required.
He made the statement while answering questions from the media in Belagavi.
“An inquiry would be conducted into the matter and disciplinary action would be initiated against the DGP if required. No senior officer is above the law,” the Chief Minister said.
Sources said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is upset and expressed his anger over the development.
It may be recalled that in a major embarrassment to the Karnataka Police Department, purported videos showing objectionable behaviour by jailed actress Ranya Rao’s stepfather and Karnataka DGP K. Ramachandra Rao with a woman inside his office while in uniform went viral on Monday.
The videos have circulated widely on social media, raising serious concerns.
The videos purportedly showed Ramachandra Rao inside his official chamber, engaging in objectionable conduct with a woman.
In one clip, he is seen kissing the woman while seated in uniform in his office. In another video, he is seen inside his office in a suit and engaging in similar conduct in front of the Indian flag and the Police Department’s emblem displayed in his chamber. The woman was also seen cooperating with him.
Sources said the videos were recorded more than a year ago, before Ranya Rao was arrested in the gold smuggling case.
Ramachandra Rao is serving as Director General of Police in the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE).
Responding to the purported videos, DGP K. Ramachandra Rao said the clips that surfaced and went viral on social media are “manipulated”.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Monday, Rao said, “These are manipulated videos. No such incident has taken place. I will discuss the matter with my advocate and take a decision in this regard.”
Earlier, the Karnataka government had placed Ramachandra Rao on compulsory leave in March 2025 in connection with the gold smuggling case. He was taken back recently.
He is alleged to have joined hands with Ranya Rao in gold smuggling. The government had ordered a probe against Rao in this connection and sought a report.
Ranya Rao was arrested on charges of gold smuggling and misusing her stepfather Rao’s name to escape security checks by availing the protocol reserved for officials.