Ranya Rao case: Karnataka govt withdraws compulsory leave imposed on IPS officer Ramachandra Rao
Bengaluru, Aug 11 (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday appointed senior IPS officer K Ramachandra Rao as the DGP for Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, withdrawing the compulsory leave imposed on him following the arrest of his stepdaughter and actress Ranya Rao in connection with a gold smuggling case.
Prior to this new role, he served as the Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
"The order of compulsory leave with respect to Dr K Ramachandra Rao, IPS (KN 1993) is hereby withdrawn and the officer is posted with immediate effect and until further orders as Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement in the upgraded vacant post," a government order said.
The post of Director General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement is declared equivalent in status and responsibilities to the cadre post of Director General of Police, Criminal Investigation Department, Special Units & Economic offences, Bengaluru under Rule 12 of IPS (Pay) Rules 2016 as included in Schedule Il of the said rule, it said.
Rao was sent on compulsory leave in March.
Ranya Rao (34) was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on March 3 upon her arrival at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Dubai, and gold bars worth Rs 12.56 crore were seized from her.
The next day, the DRI said it seized gold jewellery worth Rs 2.06 crore and cash amounting to Rs 2.67 from her residence in Bengaluru.
Ranya Rao was accused of misusing police escorts, provided to her in violation of rules, allegedly to evade Custom checks and checkout of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
The Karnataka government had formed a committee to probe the role of Ramachandra Rao, if any, in the alleged gold smuggling activity of his step daughter.
He had appeared before the Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta-led committee for questioning.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
