Who is K Ramachandra Rao? Karnataka DGP and Ranya Rao’s Stepfather Suspended Over Viral Video
The Karnataka government has suspended Director General of Police (Civil Rights Enforcement) K. Ramachandra Rao with immediate effect. The suspension order was issued on Monday, January 19, citing conduct unbecoming of a government servant and actions that allegedly caused embarrassment to the state administration.
The decision follows the circulation of a purported video on social media that allegedly shows Rao in a compromising situation with a woman inside his official chamber. The video quickly went viral, drawing widespread attention. However, Rao has strongly denied the allegations, dismissing the footage as fabricated and completely false.
Who is K. Ramachandra Rao?
K. Ramachandra Rao is a senior IPS officer of Director General of Police rank. Before his suspension, he headed the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement. He was promoted to the rank of DGP in September 2023 and formally assumed charge in October the same year.
Rao has also served as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited. Earlier, during his tenure as Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Southern Range, his service period witnessed controversy.
In 2014, a cash seizure near Yelwal in Mysuru led to allegations against police officials. While authorities initially claimed that ₹20 lakh had been seized, the accused — Kerala-based traders — asserted that the amount was closer to ₹2.27 crore. Rao, who was present at the time, denied any wrongdoing but was transferred shortly thereafter.
Subsequently, allegations of collusion with a businessman emerged. According to a report cited by The Sunday Guardian, a senior police officer stated that a CID inquiry pointed to serious lapses by Rao and a deputy superintendent of police, particularly after it came to light that certain policemen, including a gunman attached to the IGP, were allegedly involved in the robbery. Rao denied these allegations as well.
Despite these past controversies, Rao continued his rise in the police hierarchy and eventually attained the DGP rank.
Link to Ranya Rao gold smuggling case
Rao is also the stepfather of Kannada actress Harshavardhini Ranya, popularly known as Ranya Rao. She has been accused in a high-profile gold smuggling case involving the illegal import of gold worth over ₹12.56 crore from Dubai. The case also names businessman Tarun Raju and jewellery dealer Sahil Jain as co-accused.
Viral video controversy
The suspension stems primarily from a viral video that allegedly shows Rao behaving inappropriately with a woman inside his office while wearing his police uniform. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
In its official order, the Karnataka government stated that videos and news reports widely circulated across media platforms indicated that Rao had acted in an obscene manner, which was deemed unbecoming of a government servant and damaging to the image of the government.
