Ex-DGP under lens for nod to 400 transfers in a month

According to the guidelines, the board’s recommendation is needed for transferring junior-rank policemen. The board, headed by the incumbent DGP, comprises the top police officers of the state. Ramniwas reportedly did not seek approval of the other members when he cleared the transfers.

Over 400-odd policemen were transferred in just 45 days, from mid-December to January-end. The number increased towards the end of January. After Upadhyaya took over, police superintendents of various districts brought the issue to his notice. In some cases, six-seven policemen had been transferred from a single police station.

Upadhyaya has asked the SPs not to relieve any policeman if the transfer was cleared without the board’s approval.

If anyone has already been relieved, they are not to be given their new posting.

When contacted, Ramniwas denied any irregularity. “All transfers were according to proper procedures. I considered some cases on family grounds. Certain policemen were living away from their families for years,” he said.

Another issue that has surfaced is the recommendation of police awards for outsiders. The state DGP, in consultation with top officers, announces these awards twice a year — on January 26 and August 15. Constituted a few years ago, the awards are largely meant to recognise the work of state police personnel in anti-Naxal operations.

While a maximum of 40 people can be awarded at one time, the guidelines clarify that 7-18 per cent of the awardees should be gazetted police officers, 11-27 per cent non-gazetted police officers, 16-40 per cent constables and head constables, 2-5 per cent administrative staff, and 4-10 per cent from the DGP’s discretionary quota.

On January 25, Ramniwas recommended 65 people for the awards. These included forest officers, doctors and airport officers, despite strong objection from others on the panel. The top two awardees in the list are ex-CRPF IG, Chhattisgarh, Pankaj Singh; current CRPF IG, Chhattisgarh, H S Siddhu; Joint director in MHA Rahul Rasgotra; Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Chhattisgarh, Mudit Kumar Singh; Raipur Airport General Manager Anil Rai; Director, Health Services, Subeer Mukherjee.