Top Karnataka Police officer Ramachandra Rao has come under intense public scrutiny after videos emerged online showing him in compromising positions with women in an office-setting.
He has since been suspended and an inquiry has been initiated against him. However, this is not the only controversy surrounding the officer. Here is a look at other major controversies he has been faced.
Career background:
Rao is a 1993-batch officer, now holding the rank of a Director-General of Police.
He was to retire in May after having served in a number of senior positions.
Personal life:
Rao's first wife died in a road accident. He later remarried a woman whose daughter, Ranya Rao, went on to become a Kannada film actress.
Controversies:
Curious case of the missing money -
One of the earliest major controversies surrounding the officer dates back to 2014, when he served as Inspector-General of Police (Southern Range). The case involved a sensational incident near Yelwala in Mysuru. A bus allegedly carrying a large sum of cash was intercepted.
After this, reports emerged that a portion of the seized/recovered money had gone missing.
Fingers were pointed at Rao and other officers, and an investigation was eventually ordered.
During that period, he was transferred out of his position as the probe expanded.
And his name did not figure in any of the reports that followed.
Chadchan encounter -
Another allegation Rao faced was connected to the so-called Chadchan encounter episode in Vijayapura district. The encounter killing linked to Dharmaraj Chadchan led to contradictory claims; police maintained it was self-defence during an attempt to arrest him but allegations persist that it was a staged encounter by Rao at the behest of a rival gang.
A CID probe was ordered and Rao was questioned by the department.
Officials summoned him, then IGP (Northern Range).
It was alleged that he knew the encounter was coming and had transferred policeman Gopal Hallur to Chadchan months earlier to facilitate it.
Rao told the CID the transfer was routine and rule-based and denied any prior knowledge of the encounter. He said he learned of the killings from the SP, visited the spot as per protocol, and ordered a detailed probe into both the encounter and the later complaint about the missing brother, Gangadhar.
Eventually, the CID filed a chargesheet against multiple people, including five cops, but Rao was not among them.
Gold smuggling case involving stepdaughter -
Rao's stepdaughter, the actress Ranya Rao, was arrested at Bengaluru airport in March 2025, when she arrived from Dubai allegedly carrying about 14 kilos of smuggled gold, worth around Rs 12.5 crore.
RECAP | 102-Crore Penalty Imposed On Actor Ranya Rao In Gold Smuggling Case
The controversy expanded after fingers were pointed at the protocol assistance she allegedly received at the airport, linked to her DGP-rank stepfather. It was alleged that she used his influence to move through the airport and bypass normal checks.
Following the arrest, the Karnataka government placed Rao on compulsory leave and an investigation was ordered. He was later reinstated and posted again, while the investigation continued.
Alleged sleaze tapes storm
The latest and most explosive controversy erupted after videos allegedly showing the officer behaving obscenely with women inside an office setting went viral.
RECAP | Karnataka Top Cop Ramachandra Rao Suspended Over Alleged Sleazy Videos
The officer has denied wrongdoing and contested the authenticity of the clips, while the state ordered an inquiry and initiated disciplinary action. The Karnataka State Commission for Women has also sought an action-taken report within seven days.
RECAP | Alleged Sleaze Clips Put Karnataka Top Cop Ramachandra Rao In Spotlight
Sources suggest these videos if authentic could have been shot about seven or eight years ago during his time as the IG in Belgavi, and could be part of a larger honey-trap nexus operating in the state that targets senior bureaucrats and politicians.
With a detailed investigation expected, it remains to be seen whether the truth behind these videos will be unearthed.
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