Shatrujeet Kapur is Haryana DGP, says ‘no place for criminals in state’

Kapur said that his priority will be to bring about reforms in the policing by making it more responsive and ensuring transparency in police working. “There is no place for corruption in the police and it would not be tolerated at any cost. If corruption is found anywhere strict action will be taken against the guilty as per law,” he said.

In reply to another question, the DGP said that there is no place for criminal elements including gangsters in the society. He said that whosoever found indulging in criminal activities would not be spared at any cost. Giving a clear cut message to drug peddlers, he made it clear that nobody would be allowed to play with the future of youth in the state. Kapur added that Haryana has a strong police force of more than 55,000 personnel and special thrust would be given in enhancing their skills through capacity building in law and order and other core policing areas.

Sources said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was keen to pick Kapur as the new DGP of the state.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had earlier shortlisted three Haryana-cadre IPS officers – R C Mishra and Mohd Akil, both 1989-batch officers, and Kapur – for the post. The state government selected Kapur as the next DGP with P K Agrawal’s term ending Tuesday. Kapur is a 1990-batch IPS officer.

The Haryana government had sent to the UPSC a panel of 10 IPS officers for selection as the new DGP. The panel did not contain the name of Manoj Yadava, the seniormost IPS officer of the Haryana cadre. Yadava, currently on deputation as director general (investigation) of the National Human Rights Commission, had given an undertaking to the state government that he does not want to come back to Haryana to lead the force.

According to the Supreme Court’s directives in the landmark Parkash Singh judgement in 2006 and the MHA guidelines, the DGP will be selected by the state government from among the three senior-most officers empanelled for promotion to that rank by the UPSC on the basis of their length of service, career record and range of experience. The willingness or consent of the officer being considered for the post of DGP is not necessary to be obtained.

After taking charge as ACB chief in September 2021, Kapur had initiated action against several bureaucrats including IAS and officers of state civil services (HCS). During his tenure, the ACB also arrested several officers taking bribe red handed. In April this year, the ACB had sought the government approval under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to launch an investigation against a principal secretary rank officer D Suresh. The permission was sought after the bureau had lodged an FIR lodged in 2022 in connection with financial loss to the state exchequer by re-allotting a school site in Gurgaon in 2019 . On July 25, the government had granted approval for an investigation against the IAS officer despite his claims that he had acted in a quasi-judicial capacity strictly in compliance with a Punjab and Haryana High Court order of 2018.