Cockroach Party protest, corruption cases: Satish Golchha out, Anurag Kumar new Delhi Police chief

According to government sources, corruption cases involving police personnel, along with several law-and-order incidents, may have also prompted the Ministry of Home Affairs’s decision.

This is the second time within a year that the MHA has replaced the Delhi Police Commissioner before the completion of the incumbent’s tenure, which is usually two years or more.

Kumar was repatriated from the Intelligence Bureau to his parent cadre for three years from the date of joining, in relaxation of the IPS tenure policy. Later in the day, he was appointed Delhi Police chief with effect from the date he assumed charge and until further orders.

Behind the move

Golcha had taken charge after the removal of then Delhi Police Commissioner S B K Singh on August 22 last year. 

According to sources, the Centre had asked him to follow the procedures put in place by his predecessor Sanjay Arora, a 1988-batch IPS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre who came to Delhi Police from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. 

During his tenure, sources said Arora had issued several standing orders aimed at bringing more transparency to administrative postings. In one such order, he mandated a cooling-off period before SHOs could be considered for reposting to the same posts. He also set up a Central Police Establishment Board to interview suitable inspectors for appointment as SHOs.

“In Arora’s tenure, interviews of inspectors were conducted by a board comprising four Special Commissioners of Police. The names of inspectors who cleared the first stage were then placed before Arora, who made the final appointments after consulting other Special CPs,” a source said.

Sources claimed the process changed after Golcha took charge. He allegedly issued multiple lists of SHOs without conducting interviews. “It was hinted to him several times by the Centre to not change the procedure and to make it more transparent. After repeated reminders, Golcha announced the formation of a Police Establishment Board last December on similar lines,” the source said.

The Centre is also learnt to be unhappy with the handling of the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar. A source said the protest “could have been handled more professionally”.

Government sources also said the Centre was unhappy with the growing number of corruption cases in the Delhi Police. Recently, two Delhi Police inspectors were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in separate corruption cases, which, sources said, may have acted as the tipping point. 

Apart from corruption cases, several major law-and-order incidents are also believed to have raised concerns in the Home Ministry. 

These include the security breach at the Delhi Vidhan Sabha in April, when a car rammed through the entrance gate and entered the Assembly premises; the rape and murder of a minor allegedly by an app-based taxi driver in South Delhi in June; and the fire at a South Delhi hotel that that left 23 people, including 14 foreign nationals, dead.

According to government sources, the rise in extortion cases allegedly by gangsters from abroad was another factor behind the leadership change.

As per the MHA order, Golcha has been directed to report to the Lieutenant Governor’s office, where he will await his next posting. 

He took charge as the 26th Commissioner of the Delhi Police in August last year. His appointment came a day after a man attacked Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at her camp office at a Jan Sunwai programme, injuring her. Golcha (58) was serving as the Director General of Tihar Jail at the time of his appointment.

Golcha still has more than a year left before he retires.