Punjab, Haryana, MP replace ‘token officers’ deployed in Manipur

Some of the IPS officers who came on SP rank to head the SITs in Manipur got promoted to DIG in January and requested their police chiefs to call them back.

On August 3 last year, the Supreme Court appointed former deputy national security adviser (NSA) and former Mumbai Police commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar to be the “overall monitor” of a CBI probe into the instances of sexual violence in Manipur. (File)

One year after several states sent IPS officers to Manipur to investigate various ongoing violence cases in the state, Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh have decided to replace their officers.

On August 3, last year, the Supreme Court had appointed former deputy NSA and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar the “overall monitor” of a CBI probe into the instances of sexual violence in Manipur.

The Indian Express has learnt that discussion to recall the IPS officers started when some of them, on SP rank, got promoted as DIG in January while some had requested their concerned chiefs to call them back.

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“All the IPS officers, who got promoted had made request before Padsalgikar to send them back to their home cadre, who in turn reportedly sent a letter to the Director, CBI, and MHA, mentioning the current situation of Manipur and suggested a rotation policy of all the officers of SITs,” the source said. “In the SITs, there are all the police personnel of Manipur police and rather than working on the cases, they are busy in law and order duty. Padsalgikar has reportedly mentioned how it is affecting the daily work of the SIT,” the source added.

When contacted, Padsalgikar refused to comment on this matter. DGP Manipur did not respond.

The home states of the officers, however, have sent the communication regarding their return and replacement. “Following the directions of SC, the Union Home Ministry had directed all the States/UTs to nominate their officers for the SITs…,” a source said.

In one of the communications sent on August 8 to the Chief Secretary, Manipur, the additional CS of Haryana, Home Department, said, “I am directed to the refer Government of India, MHA letter dated August 16, 2023, to say that Surinder Pal Singh, a 2010-batch IPS officer of Haryana cadre, had been deputed/deployed from Haryana police under the supervision of Dattatray Padsalgikar… as per directions issued by the Hon’ble SC, vide their judgement on August 7, 2023.”

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Panel gets time until November 20

New Delhi: The Centre on Friday granted time until November 20 to a three-member judicial commission to submit its report on the violence in Manipur.

The panel, headed by former Gujarat HC Chief Justice Ajai Lamba, was set up on June 3, 2023, a month after the ethnic violence erupted in the state. It was to submit its report within six months after first date of full sitting, which was November 20, 2023. ENS

Mahender Singh Manral

Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More

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