In a curious turn of events, Karnataka IPS officer Alok Kumar, who was recently shunted out as the Bengaluru Police Commissioner, has withdrawn his case contesting the “premature” transfer order in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).

Kumar was transferred out to the Karnataka State Reserve Police Division on August 2 just 47 days into his tenure, and was replaced by IPS officer Bhaskar Rao.

This change was made as part of a massive administrative reshuffle in the state’s IAS and IPS ranks after BS Yediyurappa took charge as the Karnataka Chief Minister for the fourth time.

Kumar had initially sought a stay on the transfer order and based on his plea, the CAT had issued notices to the state government and even current Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao.

According to provisions of the Karnataka Police Act, 1963, Clause 20-F guarantees a minimum tenure of a year in any posting, which has also been endorsed by the Supreme Court. Kumar’s counsel had earlier pointed out that the State Civil Services Board did not even recommend his transfer nor does it concur with the statutory scheme of exemptions.

According to news whispered within power circles in the city, Alok Kumar has allegedly withdrawn his case as part of a quid pro quo arrangement between him and Bhaskar Rao. It is alleged that now that Alok Kumar has dropped the case, Bhaskar Rao will ensure that probe on phone tapping incidents, which was reportedly ordered by Alok Kumar, does not reach a logical conclusion.

Recently, a section of the media had published reports about the audiotapes that tape featured alleged conversations between Bhaskar Rao and another man named Farhaz, a powerbroker and a prime accused in a ponzi scheme case. In these conversations, the man purported to be Bhaskar Rao was heard lobbying for the Commissioner's post with Farhaz meeting top leaders of the Congress in Delhi.

Speculation was also rife that it was Alok Kumar, who was the then Police Commissioner, had ordered that Bhaskar Rao’s phone be tapped and he was the one who leaked the conversation.

After the alleged conversation was leaked, Bhaskar Rao had ordered Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) to probe the matter. An interim report submitted to Karnataka police chief DG-IGP Neelamani Raju has also purportedly named one ADGP ranked officer’s involvement in the phone-tapping controversy.

This comes at a time when Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has also ordered an inquiry into the alleged phone-tapping of political leaders and senior police officers during the rule of the previous JD(S)-Congress coalition government rule.

However, a senior police officer told TNM, "It is possible that the pressure might have come from some seniors since the matter of phone tapping is not in their hands any more. And if the state government had to reply legally, it might cause embarrassment for the police and political hierarchy."