Retired BPCL Officer Reveals Corruption Faced While Completing Daughter’s Death Formalities

A retired Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) officer from Bengaluru, K Sivakumar, has ignited a wave of outrage after revealing in a social media post that he was forced to pay bribes at every step while completing official procedures following the death of his only daughter. Sivakumar, a former Chief Financial Officer at BPCL, shared an emotional account detailing extensive corruption he faced after his 34-year-old daughter Akshaya died of a brain hemorrhage on September 18, 2025.

In the now-deleted post published on LinkedIn, Sivakumar described how he had to pay bribes to ambulance operators, police officials, crematorium staff, and even employees of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). “With no empathy to a father who lost his only child. Very sad state. I had money, I paid. What will the poor do,” he wrote, questioning the moral and emotional decay of public institutions. He alleged that police personnel demanded cash in open view at the station just to provide legal documentation, while the BBMP office delayed issuing the death certificate until he paid extra fees.

Sivakumar said his daughter—a Goldman Sachs employee and IIM-Ahmedabad graduate—was transported in an ambulance that charged him Rs 3,000 for a short trip between two city hospitals. He lamented how officials displayed no compassion for a grieving father, asking, “Do police officers have families or feelings when they demand money from someone already in trauma?” His message ended with a heartfelt appeal to prominent business figures like Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji, and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw to help restore integrity to Bengaluru’s decaying civic system.

Also Read: Samosa Dispute Turns Deadly in Bihar: Woman Hacks Farmer to Death with Sword

Following the viral post, Bengaluru’s Whitefield Police suspended a Police Sub-Inspector and a Constable from Bellandur Police Station for alleged misconduct. The police department said in a statement that it “will not tolerate any such indecent or inappropriate behaviour” and assured residents of necessary disciplinary action against the offenders.

The incident has also drawn political reaction, with BJP State Vice President Malavika Avinash expressing condolences and blaming what she termed a “defunct administrative system” under the Congress government in Karnataka. She demanded an explanation from Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar, questioning the circumstances under which Sivakumar’s post was deleted. The episode has since reignited debate over corruption, governance, and public accountability in one of India’s most prominent cities.

Also Read: #JustIn: Ex-DGP Mustafa Denies Any Role in Son Aqil Akhter’s Death, Backs SIT Inquiry