In 2 weeks before Delhi poll announcement, nearly 5,000 cops transferred

In November, the EC had directed the National Capital Territory of Delhi to transfer officers deployed at their home districts or those who had completed three years in a district. Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, SHOs or inspectors from a department or unit are usually transferred every two years.

Ten months after his appointment as Special Commissioner, Vigilance, an order dated January 2 relieved Robin Hibu, a 1993-batch IPS officer, of his charge. Hibu, who has been appointed as Special Commissioner, Public Transport Safety Division, has been replaced by Viplav Kumar Choudhry, a 1997-batch IPS officer on deputation from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A transfer order dated December 26, 2024, shifted nine IPS (Indian Police Services) and three DANIPS (Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli Police Services) officers. Among those transferred is Rakesh Paweriya, a 2012-batch IPS officer, who was relieved as DCP, North-East District, within two months of his posting. He has been transferred to Delhi Police Headquarters at present.

Apoorva Gupta, a 2013-batch IPS officer, was shifted to the Crime Branch this January, a year after she took over as DCP, East District.

Among others transferred before the Delhi elections are 55 inspectors and SHOs. An order dated January 1, facilitated the transfer of at least 28 inspectors, including 14 SHOs, from Sarojini Nagar police station to Welcome police station, Mandir Marg to Maidan Garhi, Tughlak Road to Cyber Police Station in Dwarka, Tilak Marg to Delhi Armed Police (DAP) station, Civil Lines to Seemapuri, Welcome to Okhla, Govindpuri to Tughlak Road, Bhalswa Dairy to Dayalpur, Maurice Nagar to Tilak Marg and Connaught Place to DAP station.

An order dated January 4 saw the transfer of 31 inspectors, including 16 SHOs, from Naraina police station to DAP station, Sangam Vihar to Security unit, Mehrauli to Security unit, Amar Colony to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Rajendra Nagar to Security unit, Vasant Kunj North to DAP, Kotla Mubarakpur to DAP, Vasant Vihar to Security unit, and Dwarka South to Supreme Court security.

At least 30 SHOs were transferred in two orders issued between January 1 and January 4. Some of the SHOs transferred were moved barely 10 months after taking charge, according to sources.

Among those who served the shortest stints before being transferred were the SHO of Tughlak Road police station, who was transferred within three days of his appointment, and the SHO of Vasant Kunj North police station, who was relieved on January 4, within a week of taking charge.

The same order, dated January 4, facilitated the transfers of at least six Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs), including those from Mayapuri and Mehrauli sub-divisions to Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Legal Cell respectively. The police headquarters also transferred nearly 230 sub-inspectors (SI), 270 Assistant SIs, around 1,000 head constables and over 3,400 constables from units or police stations to others.