BANGALORE: The Government of Karnataka has given a clean chit to S Ravi, IPS, the then DCP South Division, Bangalore city, over allegations that he had 'illegally' harassed a Tamil Nadu businessman.
Disciplinary proceedings which were initiated against for him for allegedly conspiring with some private individuals and 'illegally' registering a case to bring pressure on one RM Somasundaram, to settle a civil dispute relating to his landed property in Tamil Nadu, has concluded that all the charges levelled against S Ravi, are not proved during the enquiry, on the basis of oral and documentary evidences.
When contacted, S Ravi, IPS, welcomed the decision of the government and said that he was always confident that truth would prevail. "The conspiracy hatched by some jealous senior officers in the police department, to malign me over baseless allegations, thus stands exposed," he said.
The state government had decided to hold a departmental inquiry and appointed Dr S Parashivamurthy, IPS, IGP (Training) Bangalore as inquiry officer to enquire into the charges levelled against S Ravi, and Syed Ulfath Hussain, DIGP training, Bangalore as the presenting officer.
The disciplinary committee had submitted an inquiry report wherein it had concluded that none of the actions taken by S Ravi would amount to any misconduct under All India Service (Conduct) Rules, 1969.
This inquiry report was then carefully examined in detail by the government, having regard to facts and circumstances of the case and it took "a considered view that S Ravi, IPS had taken action as per the rule and on the basis of the complaint given by one Mr Chandru. The Government of Karnataka, has therefore decided to drop all the charges levelled against him, vide the government order dated 25 January 2012, which reads as follows --
"In the circumstances explained in the preamble, the charges leveled against Sri S Ravi, IPS, former DCP, south division, Bangalore city are dropped and the departmental disciplinary proceedings against him in the matter are closed."
The suspension of Ravi comes close on the heels of similar action against another IPS officer Hemanth Nimbalkar, who was suspended on Thursday, on corruption charges.
The action against Ravi has been taken based on the report submitted on April 14 by the Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Bangalore, who investigated the alleged initimidation of RM Somasundaram, a resident of Tamil Nadu, by Ravi. The investigation revealed that Ravi had sent two constables of his office to Chennai and Karaikudi to secure Somasundaram from Tamil Nadu to Bangalore for the purpose of bring pressurse on him to sell the property owned by his wife to one Chandru.
On March 30, a hotelier and real estate agent Somasundaram from Karaikudi alleged to have been forcibly abducted by the city police and to have been threatened by the DCP (South) Ravi who had forced him to transfer his land to another person, if not he would be fixed in a cheating case.
Somasundaram had stated that on March 28, he was picked up by two policemen and two advocates from his residence and was kept at the Bowring Institute. The following morning he was taken before DCP South Ravi, who allegedly told him to compromise with complainant Chandru and transfer a land in Tambaram to Chandru’s daughter-in-law’s name.
Somasundaram is said to have refused to heed to this demand when Ravi allegedly threatened him to fix him in a cheating case. When he continued not to respond, Somasundaram was later sent to JP Nagar police for interrogation and later let off. Somasundaram had lodged a complaint against DCP South Ravi and Karaikudi Police Inspector Annadorai for abducting and harassing him.
Later, Ravi had also made into the news when he accused a TV channel of trespassing his office in his absence.