Karnataka government transfers IPS Officer D Roopa Moudgil amid allegations by DIG Vartika Katiyar
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has transferred senior IPS officer D Roopa Moudgil following allegations made by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vartika Katiyar, who accused her superior of misconduct involving confidential documents.
In an official order issued by the state government, D Roopa Moudgil has been transferred to the post of Managing Director, Karnataka Silk Marketing Board Limited, Bengaluru. The order further stated that the post is declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to that of Inspector General of Police (IGP), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), as per Rule 12 of the IPS (Pay) Rules 2016.
The controversy began when Vartika Katiyar, a 2010 batch IPS officer, submitted a complaint on February 20 to Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, with a copy sent to Director General of Police Alok Mohan. In her complaint, Vartika alleged that on September 6, 2024, two police personnel under D Roopa’s direction entered her chamber, planted confidential documents, and photographed them. These images were later shared via WhatsApp.
ALSO READ: Days after making allegations against IGP D Roopa, IPS Vartika Katiyar gets transferred
The complaint specifically named Head Constable Manjunath T S and Home Guard Mallikarjun, stating that they accessed her office using keys from the Control Room while she was absent. Expressing concerns over potential future incidents, Vartika wrote, "If anything wrong happens, D Roopa will be directly responsible." She further alleged that Roopa had threatened to submit a negative annual report against her.
As part of the administrative reshuffle, Vartika Katiyar has also been transferred and posted as DIG and Additional Commandant General, Home Guards, and Ex-officio Additional Director, Civil Defence, Bengaluru.
The state government has not linked the transfers to the allegations and is yet to comment on whether further action will be taken regarding the allegations.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
