Quick action taken to handle crisis, says govt on DIG's transfer

The government on Monday issued a clarification, claiming that it took quick action to handle the situation in the prisons department.

“In its unrelenting pursuit of truth and justice, the government made consistent efforts to enquire into and act strictly upon cases of serious irregularities, in the larger public interest,” said a press release.

The statement was prompted by news channels and media websites terming the transfer of DIG D Roopa punishment for exposing irregularities in prisons. 

The statement said after allegations of irregularities raised by Roopa, “the government immediately ordered a high-level enquiry into the case, to unearth facts. This decision was taken in view of the government’s commitment to public interest, truth and justice.”

On Roopa’s transfer, the government said, “The public conduct after the DIG’s first report, and despite the immediate institution of enquiry, have not been in the spirit of officers abiding by service rules and protocol. Despite the enquiry being in process, Roopa and (DG Prisons) H N Sathyanarayana Rao went to the media to discuss the case.”

The interaction of both police officers with the media during the course of inquiry was unwarranted and amounted to a serious violation of All India Services Conduct Rules, the statement read.

“In view of this violation, the government issued show-cause notice to both the officers. The subsequent visit by the officers concerned to Parappana Agrahara central prison witnessed disturbances. In order to maintain the sanctity of the enquiry process and safeguard it from further interference, the government has asked Sathyanarayana Rao to proceed on leave, while Roopa has been transferred and posted as Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, Bengaluru,” the government said, defending the decision.

The government is committed to allow the enquiry to proceed unhinged so that evidence-based truth emerges, following which necessary and strict action will be taken to bring the guilty to book, the press release from the chief minister’s secretariat said.