The NGO founded by the BJP MP and Republic TV co-founder, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has categorically denied claims made by D Roopa, an IPS officer in Karnataka, that she was offered the Namma Bengaluru Foundation Award.
This came just days after Roopa wrote to the NGO turning down the award on the grounds that she could not accept it because it carried a heavy cash “and my conscience does not permit me for this.” Her hand-written letter to the NGO was released by news agency ANI. The news of D Roopa, who had earned plaudits for exposing VVIP treatment to jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, turning down the award had gone viral on social media platforms.
“Every government servant is expected to maintain neutrality and equidistance from all quasi-political bodies and associations that have even the bare minimum political overtone. Only then a public servant can maintain a clean and fair image in the eyes of the public,” she was quoted by news agency ANI.
However, the foundation, in a statement, accused Roopa of ‘relentless lobbying’ to get the award and also likened her claims to “immature malicious conduct by a nominee who did not make it to the final winner.”
“There were multiple communications by this nominee to lobby to the jury, NBF team and the trustees. This person had engaged with jury extensively and did not mention a word of these newly discovered ‘views’ at any stage of her interaction,” New Indian Express quoted the NGO’s statement. The NGO added that the IPS officer’s letter was written only after she realised that the award was not going to be given to her.
Roopa, who’s currently serving as the Inspector General of Police (Home Guard and Civil Defence, Bengaluru), responded by saying, “The NBF by saying that I knew the results have admitted that the whole process was rigged. Their rules state that the awardees are not announced till the last moment.”
The award was presented on Sunday with the ultimate winner being Dipika Bajpai, an Indian Forest Service officer.
