Bengaluru: K Ramachandra Rao, stepfather of Kannada actor Ranya Rao, who is now in prison on charges of smuggling gold into the country, was suspended by the Karnataka government on Monday after purported videos surfaced, showing him engaged in obscene acts with several women in office.
The officer’s conduct was “unbecoming of a Government Servant” and had caused “embarrassment to the Government,” prompting disciplinary action under the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, the government has said in its order, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Rao rejected the allegations outright, insisting the video was fake and that he had no knowledge of its origin. He claimed that the clip circulating online was not genuine and generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“I am shocked. It is all fabricated, a lie. The video is all false. I have no idea about it,” the IPS officer said, questioning how the video surfaced and who could be behind it, reiterating that the allegations were baseless.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has, however, put his foot down and said the matter would be
investigated. The officer’s seniority would not come in the way of action, the CM said.
“We will get it investigated,” Siddaramaiah has been quoted as saying. “I got to know about it in the morning. We will initiate disciplinary action against him. No one is above the law, notwithstanding how senior the police officer is,” he added.
Rao attempted to meet home minister G Parameshwara after the matter came to light, but the meeting did not take place.
Parameshwara was later quoted by PTI as saying that an inquiry is in progress and the IPS officer may even be dismissed from service if the allegations against him turn out to be correct.
Speaking to media persons outside the minister’s residence, Rao denied the allegations.
“I am also thinking how and when it happened and who has done it. In this era, anything can happen. I have no idea about it,” Rao said. He added that he would consult his advocate and explain to the home minister that false information was being spread about him.
Rao had faced trouble in March 2025, after Ranya’s arrest by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru with Rs 12.56 crore worth of gold bars.
Rao had then been sent on compulsory leave after allegations that he was aware of Ranya misusing certain privileged allowed to senior-ranking IPS officers and their families at airports. He was reinstated after an inquiry in August and appointed DGP of the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement.