DSP remanded in custody over objectionable video incident

A Karnataka DSP, caught in a compromising position with a woman in his office washroom, was remanded to 14-day custody

Tumakuru (Karnataka): The Karnataka Court on Saturday remanded the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) posted with the Madhugiri Subdivision, who was allegedly caught on camera in a compromising position with a woman in his office washroom, to 14 days of judicial custody. The Madhugiri local court has passed the order.

Till Monday the accused DSP P. Ramachandrappa will remain in the Madhugiri prison and later he will be shifted to the district prison of Tumakuru. The office of the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) had issued the suspension orders of DSP P Ramachandrappa in connection with the incident.

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A video showing the officer in uniform “romancing” the woman had gone viral on social media in the State, raising serious concerns. According to sources, the victim, a woman came into contact with the DSP from Madhugiri town, in connection with a land dispute complaint.

The victim from Pavagada town approached the police, and the DSP allegedly exploited his position to coerce her into an objectionable act. The police officer reportedly took the woman, who had come to complain, to his office washroom to commit the act.

It is suspected that a relative accompanying the woman secretly recorded the incident and circulated the video online. The 35-second footage showed the officer in uniform and the woman noticing a mobile phone recording through a window. It showed an objectionable act of the senior officer in uniform.

The video also showed the woman noticing the mobile phone at the window. The incident has raised further concerns as Madhugiri town falls within Tumakuru district, the native of State Home Minister G. Parameshwara.

The sources also claimed that the DSP used to indulge in objectionable acts with the woman whenever she visited his office in connection with the case. “Not able to bear the exploitation, the woman’s relative had shot a video this time,” the sources added.

Police sources said that there were complaints of sexual exploitation against the accused officer but due to the lack of evidence and as the victims chose not to speak about the incident, the police officer’s actions did not come out in the open.

Tumakuru Superintendent of Police, K.V. Ashok, conducted the probe and submitted the report in this regard to the department. The accused officer was suspended and later arrested by the police.

The woman who was seen in the video has filed a complaint against him and the police had filed an FIR under Sections 68 (sexual intercourse by a person in authority abusing their position), 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (outraging of modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act.