Ex-DGP wrote against being ‘ignored’ on transfers

The DGP heads the Police Establishment Board set up by the government to recommend transfer postings of senior police officers.

“It is the prerogative of the government to effect any modifications in the proposals for any reason whatsoever. It is in the interests of transparency and good governance that this office is apprised of the reasons why the government deemed it fit to change the recommendations made by the DG,police,” he said. When contacted,Subramanyam refused to comment.

Repeatedly stressing that “norms and standards have not been adhered (to)”,the letter among other things,points to the rampant transfer of 27 officers of the rank of superintendent of police,who did not figure in the Establishment Board’s proposal. These officers,still fresh in their postings,were yet to complete a year,and in some cases even months in their current assignments. None of the 27 had even made any request to the office of the director general of police, the letter stated.

Given the outgoing DGP’s serious objections to such interventions,the government issued an order on July 30 — just a day before incumbent Sanjeev Dayal was to take charge — partially taking powers of transferring field officers of the rank of police inspectors,assistant police inspector and sub-inspectors.

The officers proposed to be transferred included a joint commissioner of police who had completed his tenure in Mumbai city. “The incongruity in not moving officers out on completion of their tenure in special branches and who have been proposed for posting in their place is glaring,” the letter said. It also added that the transfers should be affected soon to “dispel any speculation about pressures being brought on government by the officers who completed their tenure”.