Karnataka suspends 9 officials after viral Siddarabetta drinking videos
Nine government officials in Karnataka have been suspended after videos surfaced showing them drinking alcohol on the job near Siddarabetta hill station.
The clips quickly went viral, prompting the Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department to take action for violating workplace rules.
Officials left posts during office hours
The group (made up of six panchayat development officers, two secretaries, and second division Assistant Manjunath) all worked in Bengaluru Rural District.
Not only did they drink at a public spot during office hours, but they also left their posts without permission, making themselves unavailable to the public.
With preliminary evidence confirming misconduct, Bengaluru Rural CEO Dr. Vasanthi Amar ordered the suspensions, and all nine face suspensions while a deeper investigation is underway.