NewsFlash Daily™
20 April 
DCRE inspector alleges coercion to favour upper-caste accused, names senior officials, complaint reaches Director General amid growing controversy
Bengaluru: In a deeply troubling development, allegations of caste-based harassment have surfaced from within Karnataka’s Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE), the very department responsible for investigating atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
A police inspector identified as Srinivas, serving in the DCRE West Zone, has accused senior officials,, including SP Karibasavanagouda and DySP Maheshwaragouda of harassment, intimidation, and pressuring him to submit reports favouring upper-caste accused persons in certain cases.
The complaint has reportedly been submitted directly to DCRE Director General Umesh Kumar, intensifying the controversy.
Officer Alleges Pressure in Sensitive Cases
According to the complaint, Inspector Srinivas alleged that he was repeatedly pressured to file final reports supporting upper-caste accused in atrocity-related cases.
He claimed that when he asked for written or formal instructions from the zonal SP before acting, tensions escalated, and he began facing harassment from senior officials.
The officer also alleged that false petitions were obtained from complainants against him and that inquiries were used as a tool to target him.
“I am being harassed for not yielding to pressure,” the officer reportedly stated.
Transfer Row and Serious Warning
The controversy deepened after Srinivas said he had been transferred last month but secured a stay order from the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT).
Despite that, he alleged that fake documents were created and he was relieved from duty through a conspiracy.
In a disturbing claim, he reportedly warned that if the alleged harassment continues, he may be pushed toward taking an extreme step.
Senior Officer Denies All Charges
SP Karibasavanagouda has strongly denied the allegations, calling them baseless and fabricated.
He said the accusations had no connection to him and suggested they may have been influenced by others.
The SP also stated that he had only met DySP Maheshwaragouda a few times and that the central office does not play a role in final investigation reports.
He further said he was not conducting any inquiry against Inspector Srinivas.
“If there were genuine allegations, I should have been made a party before KAT. These claims are false,” he reportedly said.
