Karnataka IPS officer Dr P Ravindranath resigns for fourth time, says 'being harassed for taking legal actions'

Citing harassment from Government of Karnataka, Director General of Police (DGP), Dr P Ravindranath on Tuesday resigned from his service. The top cop has expressed displeasure over his recent transfer to the training wing of the Karnataka state police.

In his resignation letter, Ravindranath wrote, "I am pained to observe the opacity shown by Karnataka Chief Secretary, Ravikumar when I requested him to issue government order to set up protection cell as per rules of SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules 1995."

Further he wrote, "I am prematurely transferred without any public interest just to harass me, since I have taken legal action against people involved in fake caste certificate issue."

According to Indian Express report, on Monday, Ravindranath, after handing over charge to Addl DGP Arun Chakravarthy at Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE), walked from his office on Palace Road to the office of the state police chief on Nrupathunga Road to meet state police chief Praveen Sood.

Notably, the 1989-batch officer is known for resigning and later withdrawing his resignation letters. He had tendered his resignation in 2008, 2014 and 2020.

The DGP told Indian Express that he is being targeted by a 'few individuals' who are influencing the government. "I am not against the government. The transfer is not on my request or in the interest of the public. It is a clear case of conspiracy and I have decided to resign," he added.

Ravindranath, while serving as ADGP, had tendered his resignation to the then Chief Secretary TM Vijay Bhaskar through the state police chief Praveen Sood on October 28, 2020. He had then accused a ‘few individuals' of harassing him.

The officer was unhappy over the promotion of two other IPS officers to the post of director general of police when his name was second in seniority. He later withdrew the resignation after meeting then CM BS Yediyurappa.