Karnataka woman constable alleges political pressure after suspension over WhatsApp status on Kadur MLA

She added: “Constable BS Latha has been suspended from service with immediate effect.” The SP also ordered her not to leave the centre without permission.

Meanwhile, the Congress MLA has said that he had no role in the suspension of the constable.

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The incident

Woman Constable BS Latha was transferred to the Tarikere Police Station from the Kadur Police Station by the Chikkamagaluru SP on 1 July.

She was to have joined immediately, but reportedly did not do so. She was eventually relieved from duty at the Kadur Police Station on 7 August.

Instead, upset with the transfer order and being relieved of duty, Latha reportedly visited the residence of Kadur MLA KS Anand and requested him to revoke the transfer orders. He replied that he had no role to play in her transfer, claimed sources.

Then she went to the Kadur Police Station and reportedly misbehaved with a PSI over her transfer and being relieved of duty.

After a tussle with the MLA and the PSI, she posted two separate statuses on WhatsApp. One was: “I have contempt for the Kadur MLA.” The other was: “MLA will be responsible if any untoward incident happened to me.”

Following these incidents, the Chikkamgaluru SP ordered the suspension of Latha on 8 August.

According to sources: “The suspended constable had imposed a penalty on Congress workers for not wearing a helmet during the Assembly election campaign. Then the Congress’ Kadur candidate, Anand took on Latha over the penalising of his party workers.”

They added: “He also indulged in verbal fights with the on-duty cops over the penalising of his party workers. He also cautioned the constable against complaining to her superiors over the incident.”

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‘I have been targeted by the MLA’

Latha blamed Anand for her transfer orders and subsequent suspension. Alleging that she had been transferred on the orders of MLA, Latha told a regional news channel: “There is no personal vendetta between me and MLA. I have been targeted for the old incident during the elections.”

She added: “He demanded that I let his party workers go while I was penalising them for not wearing a helmet. He created a nuisance. There is evidence of this incident.”

She also said: “I went to the MLA’s residence to ask about my transfer orders. He said that he had no role in the transfer, and asked me to enquire with the SP.”

Latha continued: “After my visit to the MLA’s residence, the [Kadur Police Station] PSI asked me to report to his chamber. He asked me about visiting the legislator’s residence. I shouted at him by detailing my personal problems. Upset over all the incidents, I came home and posted a WhatsApp status regarding the MLA and turned off my mobile phone.”

She recounted: “Then, my colleagues came to my residence and convinced me to delete the WhatsApp status. I was slapped with suspension orders after these incidents.”

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Details of the suspension order

In the suspension order, SP Uma Prashanth pointed to the misbehaviour of the woman constable with her superiors and the posting of the WhatsApp status against the Kadur MLA as the reasons for the action.

Uma said: “Following the transfer orders, the Kadur PSI relieved BS Latha from the station. She entered the PSI’s chamber on 7 August and showed disrespect to the PSI. She also questioned the PSI about being relieved of duty on the orders of the SP.”

The top cop continued: “Then, she said that the SP and the PSI had done injustice to her by transferring her to the Tarikere Police Station from Kadur. She shouted before PSI for about five minutes.”

Uma also said that Latha did not collect her belongings while leaving the station.

The SP added: “Five minutes after leaving the police station, she posted a WhatsApp status on the Kadur MLA. She was aware of IPC Section 141, of maintaining etiquette towards the representatives of the people.”

She also said: “Her post on WhatsApp was intended to threaten the dignity of an MLA and was [made] with the intention of creating a bad impression among the public. Considering all the above factors, she has been suspended from service with immediate effect.”

The district police have also ordered a departmental inquiry into these incidents.

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No role in transfer, says MLA

Kadur MLA KS Anand refuted all the allegations levelled by the woman constable, and said that he had no role in the transfer of the suspended woman constable.

The Congress leader told South First: “I have been pained by the developments. I did not make any recommendation to the SP for the transfer of Latha. I have no knowledge of the incident.”

He added: “She had come to my home four days ago and raised questions about her transfer. I spoke with her politely and told her to ask the SP about her transfer, and then she left my home.”

He continued: “After she left my home, she put up a WhatsApp status against me. Many people brought this to my notice. I immediately spoke with the circle police inspector and the PSI and they detailed to me about her transfer order.”

The Kadur MLA clarified: “I have not filed any complaint on the matter. The police might have suspended her for violating certain rules. I am pained by the media reports. I have no role to play in her transfer.”

He added: “I also came to know that there were many complaints and allegations against the woman constable. I have not given any letter to SP demanding for her transfer.”