At the recent IPS officers' conference, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah revealed a harsh truth: police officers in the state were involved in 88 criminal cases last year. He called this situation “shameful”. High-profile scandals added fuel to the fire. An ATM cash van robbery in Bengaluru was led by a head constable. Corruption and rule violations surfaced in Bengaluru’s Central Prison. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Police busted synthetic drug labs in Mysuru and Bengaluru, but Karnataka Police failed to arrest a single drug producer this year. To tackle this, nearly 150 police personnel in Bengaluru were suspended in 2025, including the City Police Commissioner linked to the RCB stampede. Yet, critics say these suspensions are just a show. Most officers return to work without facing serious consequences. A major problem is the ‘cash for postings’ racket. Police insiders say the cost to buy postings has become “astronomical”, driving corruption deeper. Opposition leaders, including Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, allege a ‘transfer dhandhe’ runs in the state government. They blame Congress’s five guarantee schemes for cutting funds to other development projects that once supported this corruption. On December 17, 2025, during a Legislative Assembly debate, leaders like Opposition Leader R. Ashok linked cash-for-postings to police graft. BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal claimed police reforms require MLAs to stop accepting bribes. He said, “If someone has paid ₹50 crore to become Commissioner, once he takes charge, he has to invariably make ₹100 crore, isn’t it?” The Home Minister stayed silent. Corruption scandals continue. A Bengaluru ACP was caught taking ₹50,000 monthly bribes from a restaurateur to allow late-night business. A senior officer called this case a “best encapsulation of ground reality.” Even Lokayukta SPs faced extortion charges. Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara faced criticism over his ties to controversial DGP K. Ramachandra Rao. Rao’s stepdaughter was arrested smuggling gold using police escort, triggering ED raids on institutions linked to Parameshwara. Rao was suspended after videos showed compromising behaviour at work. IPS postings, managed by the Chief Minister’s department, weaken the Home Minister’s authority. If police HR management has failed, the leadership bears full responsibility.