Mangaluru: The Karnataka government has officially suspended Krishnaveni, a senior geologist in the Department of Mines and Geology, Mangaluru, following bribery allegations and public backlash over her return to duty after release on bail. The suspension order, dated May 28, was issued after Dakshina Kannada District In-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao urged the Chief Secretary to initiate disciplinary action.
Krishnaveni was arrested by Lokayukta police on May 28 for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹50,000 through her driver, Madhu C., in connection with granting permission to remove building stones and level land for a home construction in Ira village, Ullal taluk. She was in custody for 18 days and resumed her duties on June 18, triggering criticism from the public and officials alike.
Government rules state that any officer held in custody for over 48 hours must be suspended, a guideline that was initially overlooked in her case, leading to further outrage.
Two others were implicated in the case: Pradeep Kumar R., a first division assistant in the office, who was suspended on the day of arrest, and driver Madhu C., an outsourced staffer to whom suspension rules did not apply.
With Krishnaveni now officially suspended, Sandip G.U., Senior Geologist of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district officer, has been given temporary charge of the Mangaluru office. The bribery probe remains active, as the government reiterates its stance on zero tolerance for corruption.