Bengaluru, Mar 25: Inspector General of Police (Home Guard and Civil Defence, Bengaluru) D Roopa IPS has refused to accept 'Namma Bengaluru Award' as it also carries a high cash reward. In a letter written to the chairman of Namma Bengaluru Foundation, a non-profit organisation based out of Bengaluru, IPS Roopa had said her 'conscience' does not permit her to accept the reward.

"Every government servant is expected to maintain neutrality and equidistance from all quasi-political bodies and associations that have even the bare minimum political overtone. Only then a public servant can maintain a clean and fair image in the eyes of the public," read Roopa's letter. "It becomes all the more relevant now in the view of the ensuing elections," added Roopa.

Roopa was nominated for the Government Official of the Year category. Eight government officers including Roopa have been shortlisted for the award and the winner will be announced at an event in Bengaluru. Namma Bengaluru Awards are given to multiple personalities across categories by the foundation funded by businessman and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

This is the ninth edition of the awards. Last year, Roopa created headlines when she exposed the VIP treatment meted to influential prisoners at Bengaluru prison during her stint as the DIG Prisons.