‘Kuldip Sharma’s sword’ hangs over DGP office in Gandhinagar

The post of police chief became contentious when,by virtue of seniority, Modi bete noire ADGP Kuldip Sharma became the most eligible contender. Sharma has been fighting a battle directly with Modi before Central Administrative Tribunal,on the issue of being downgraded in his annual confidential report. The state government has been treading cautiously on this issue since appointing Singh or anyone else as DGP would open a fresh front with Sharma.

For the Modi Government,appointing a full-time DGP is crucial as going by the Election Commission manual,the state must have all administrative posts including the chief of State Police filled up. The Election Commission would come out with a separate manual in the month of October when the State has to show a regular DGP heading the State to the Commission.

The State Government appointed Chitranjan Singh (59) as an in-charge DGP in November 2011 when incumbent SS Khandwawala retired after serving an extension of three months. Singh’s is the first instance of an ADGP appointed as an in-charge DG & IG of police.

All the DGP’s posts are vacant,and the one of police chief is vacant from last 14 months,apart from 2 non-cadre DGP and one cadre DGP posts.

Sources say Modi has met home department officials twice over the issue of the DGP’s appointment and there might be a departmental promotion committee meeting soon. There is a possibility of a DGP who may be senior to Singh,being appointed from outside Gujarat,to avoid a confrontation with Sharma who retires in December this year.

A senior official from the State Home Department confirmed “The State Government is all set to appoint a full-time DGP in the State after promoting the four senior most ADGPs. The promotions would happen in July- August that would fill up the cadre posts of the DG in the State. As for the two non-cadre posts,the State Government is likely to promote the cadre officers only”.

Singh, is from 1976 batch of IPS officers and he stands a better chance because two of his senior batchmates Kuldip Sharma (59) and VK Gupta (59) are on a deputation with the Central Government. Sharma is with the Bureau of Research and Police Development while Gupta is a Special Director in CBI.

Gupta who stands a better chance of taking over as CBI director after AK Singh’s term gets over,may have no plans to return to Gujarat.

However,Sharma may get the benefit of a promotion to DGP at the centre,if his batchmates are promoted here,say sources.

The State Government charge sheeted Sharma alleging that he went on a deputation to the BPRD without handing over the charge ‘officially’ to the new MD of the Sheep and Wool Development Corporation. The case is still pending against him.

Sharma had moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in 2010,where he accused Chief Minister Narendra Modi of downgrading the ranking in his annual confidential record (ACR).

In his petition to the CAT,he had alleged that he was being penalized for revealing the alleged misdeeds of state ministers and businessmen close to the government. He was made MD of the Sheep and Wool Development Corporation,a post usually held by IAS officers.

The Supreme Court had,however,took cognizance of Sharma’s petition and ordered the state government to change his internal assessment markings from “very good” to “excellent’.

He also faced a charges of 17-year-old fake encounter case of Kutch (1984) but the Gujarat HC had quashed the FIR against him.

Former DGP,retired cop RB Sreekumar recently wrote to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram requesting him to intervene and press for appointment of regular DGP in the State.

Sreekumar said,“With a case pending against him he holds no chances of becoming a DGP. When his junior,Singh is promoted,he can ask for repatriation and demand for the post. However,he would not get the up gradation in pay scale and official rise in rank until Singh finishes one year as regular DG but Sharma would retire by then. He may get the rank but not the post for sure”.

State home department officials hinted that even if Sharma is repatriated,to challenge Singh,the state government may rank him a DGP but not give him the job of the Police Chief.

Besides Singh,the State Government is likely to promote ADGP (SC/ST cell) Deepak Swaroop (59) and Ahmedabad police chief SK Saikia (58) to the rank of DG to fill up the other posts.