Bengaluru Ex-CFO Loses 34-Year-Old Daughter, Faces Bribes At Every Step
A retired Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) officer from Bengaluru, K Sivakumar, has shared a heartbreaking account of corruption he faced after the death of his 34-year-old daughter, Akshaya. The former CFO of BPCL wrote a social media post describing how he was asked for bribes at every step while completing formalities related to her death.
Akshaya, who held a B.Tech in Computer Science and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, worked for 11 years, including eight years at Goldman Sachs. She passed away at home due to a brain hemorrhage on September 18, 2025.
Sivakumar stated that he was forced to pay bribes to ambulance operators, police officials, crematorium staff, and even the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) office to obtain necessary documents. He wrote, "Recently my only child passed away at age 34. The amount of open bribe being asked by ambulance, police for FIR and post-mortem report, crematorium for giving receipts, BBMP office for death certificate."
He revealed that the police demanded cash at the station for a copy of the FIR and post-mortem report, which he paid openly. "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 added.
The ambulance driver reportedly asked for Rs 3,000 to transport Akshaya's body from Kasavanahalli to St. John's Hospital in Koramangala. Sivakumar questioned the lack of compassion from authorities, asking, "Do police officials have a family or feeling when they demand money or speak rudely to a person who is already in trauma and in emotional turmoil?"
The ordeal continued when the BBMP delayed issuing the death certificate, citing a "caste survey," and only provided it after he approached a senior official, charging more than the official fee.
Sivakumar concluded with a heartfelt appeal, writing, "Can Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji (and) Mazumdar - bigwigs with billions of money - save this city?"
Following widespread outrage, Bengaluru’s Whitefield Police suspended one PSI and one constable from Bellandur Police Station. A police statement said, "The Police Department will not tolerate any such indecent or inappropriate behaviour under any circumstances."
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy suggested Sivakumar should have approached senior authorities or filed a complaint instead of posting on social media. Meanwhile, BJP state vice president Malavika Avinash expressed sympathy and blamed the Congress government for administrative apathy, demanding explanations from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other officials.
Avinash said, "All they promised to come to power were freebies, which they have not been able to deliver. In the process, the administrative machinery is more or less defunct. Look at the manner in which the BBMP has harassed him while he only intended to conduct the last rites of his daughter."
She added, "Why is a grieving father forced to face such an ordeal? And why was his post deleted? Who ordered this? The government must explain."
The post sparked a nationwide conversation about the state of civic administration and the challenges citizens face in moments of grief. Many social media users expressed outrage at the corruption highlighted by Sivakumar, pointing out the need for systemic reforms in handling death-related formalities. Officials and citizens alike have called for stricter monitoring and accountability to prevent such instances in the future.
Akshaya, who held a B.Tech in Computer Science and an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad, worked for 11 years, including eight years at Goldman Sachs. She passed away at home due to a brain hemorrhage on September 18, 2025.
Sivakumar stated that he was forced to pay bribes to ambulance operators, police officials, crematorium staff, and even the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) office to obtain necessary documents. He wrote, "Recently my only child passed away at age 34. The amount of open bribe being asked by ambulance, police for FIR and post-mortem report, crematorium for giving receipts, BBMP office for death certificate."
He revealed that the police demanded cash at the station for a copy of the FIR and post-mortem report, which he paid openly. "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 added.
The ambulance driver reportedly asked for Rs 3,000 to transport Akshaya's body from Kasavanahalli to St. John's Hospital in Koramangala. Sivakumar questioned the lack of compassion from authorities, asking, "Do police officials have a family or feeling when they demand money or speak rudely to a person who is already in trauma and in emotional turmoil?"
The ordeal continued when the BBMP delayed issuing the death certificate, citing a "caste survey," and only provided it after he approached a senior official, charging more than the official fee.
Sivakumar concluded with a heartfelt appeal, writing, "Can Narayana Murthy, Azim Premji (and) Mazumdar - bigwigs with billions of money - save this city?"
Following widespread outrage, Bengaluru’s Whitefield Police suspended one PSI and one constable from Bellandur Police Station. A police statement said, "The Police Department will not tolerate any such indecent or inappropriate behaviour under any circumstances."
Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy suggested Sivakumar should have approached senior authorities or filed a complaint instead of posting on social media. Meanwhile, BJP state vice president Malavika Avinash expressed sympathy and blamed the Congress government for administrative apathy, demanding explanations from Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other officials.
Avinash said, "All they promised to come to power were freebies, which they have not been able to deliver. In the process, the administrative machinery is more or less defunct. Look at the manner in which the BBMP has harassed him while he only intended to conduct the last rites of his daughter."
She added, "Why is a grieving father forced to face such an ordeal? And why was his post deleted? Who ordered this? The government must explain."
The post sparked a nationwide conversation about the state of civic administration and the challenges citizens face in moments of grief. Many social media users expressed outrage at the corruption highlighted by Sivakumar, pointing out the need for systemic reforms in handling death-related formalities. Officials and citizens alike have called for stricter monitoring and accountability to prevent such instances in the future.
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