Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has suffered a major setback in its move against senior IPS officer Alok Kumar after the Karnataka High Court refused to stay a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order that quashed the charge memo issued to him.
High Court Rejects Government’s Stay Plea
A division bench of Justices Shyam Prasad and T.M. Nadaf declined the state government’s request for an interim stay on the CAT order. The government had approached the High Court seeking relief after the CAT set aside the charge memo issued to Kumar under the directions of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Background: Case Linked to 2019 Intercepted Call
The controversy stems from an audio clip of an illegally intercepted phone call that surfaced in August 2019, triggering widespread media attention.
The case was handed over to the CBI, which filed its first closure report in June 2021.
In September 2021, the CBI recommended regular departmental action, but the then BJP government did not initiate any proceedings.
Charge Memo Revived Ahead of Promotion
Despite the closure reports, the Karnataka government issued a fresh charge memo on May 9, 2025.
Alok Kumar challenged this memo before the CAT.
The tribunal set it aside, observing that the memo had been revived just days before Kumar was due for promotion to the rank of Director-General of Police (DGP) by the end of May 2025.
The CAT ruled that such timing raised concerns about the fairness and intent behind the action.
HC Refusal Strengthens Kumar’s Case
With the High Court refusing to stay the CAT order, the state government’s move has lost immediate traction. The matter has now been posted for further hearing on December 4, 2025.
Legal experts note that the High Court’s decision significantly strengthens Kumar’s position, while also raising questions about procedural fairness in administrative actions taken against senior police officers.
