The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has put a temporary halt to the Karnataka government’s move to initiate a fresh departmental inquiry against senior IPS officer Alok Kumar in connection with the 2019 phone tapping case. The stay order comes in response to Kumar’s plea challenging the state’s decision, which he claims was both redundant and malafide in timing.
Kumar, currently serving as Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), argued that the matter had already been closed following a CBI ‘B’ (closure) report and an RTI response dated May 6, 2024, which confirmed that no departmental inquiry was pending. The alleged phone tapping incident took place during the tenure of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, and Kumar had been questioned but not found involved in any wrongdoing.
In his plea, Kumar contended that the May 9, 2025, notice, issued under Rule 8(4) of the All India Services (Discipline & Appeals) Rules, 1969, was issued just days after the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) had cleared his name for elevation to the post of Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP). His promotion file had been forwarded to the UPSC on April 23.
Kumar’s legal counsel pointed out that the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM), Bengaluru, had accepted the CBI’s closure report on February 13, 2024, reinforcing the claim that the case had been conclusively closed.
CAT Judicial Member B.K. Srivastava ruled that the case would be heard by a division bench, which is currently unavailable, and stayed the May 9 notice until the next hearing on June 10. The tribunal also issued notices to all concerned respondents, including the Chief Secretary of Karnataka, and said interim relief may be reconsidered at the next hearing.
The case has drawn attention due to its timing, coinciding with Kumar’s anticipated promotion, raising concerns over procedural fairness and political motives.
