Days after joining AAP, former Bengaluru police chief says he may be booked

Days after joining the Aam Aadmi Party, former Bengaluru police commissioner Bhaskar Rao has expressed apprehension that cases may be registered against him or raids against him may be conducted.

“Tomorrow, some cases may be registered against me or raids against me conducted. I am ready to face them,” Mr Rao told reporters here on Wednesday.

He said the AAP chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal too had to face many such hardships initially. “Our leader Arvind Kejriwal has done many sacrifices. He faced many challenges. Whoever treads on the path of reform in society faces many a challenge. I take a vow to eradicate corruption from Karnataka. I stand in favour of a clean administration in Delhi,” Mr Rao said.

Speaking about corruption in the department he was once part of, he said he did not have powers to even appoint an officer of his choice. Alleging rampant corruption in Karnataka, he said officers are forced to pay crores of rupees to get a posting. “I have seen it. A police commissioner could not appoint a deputy commissioner of police, assistant commissioner of police and inspector of his choice. Every post is auctioned in crores of rupees,” Rao said.

The retired IPS officer regretted the way cases involving large-scale corruption never seeing the light of day.“You have seen the scams taking place in Bengaluru. People are being cheated. Cases are registered, dumped in cold storage and then connivance takes place...,” Mr Rao said.

He cited the ponzi scheme wherein several people lost over 2,000 crore, and a bank scam. “All the accused are scot-free. There is no concern for the public,” he said. The former Bengaluru police commissioner said that in his 32 years of service in the police force, he has seen all the political parties from the close quarters that could not transform the life of the common man. Stating that Karnataka has no dearth of any resource, Mr Rao said the State lacks good leadership.