Several Haryana IAS officers on Friday voiced their concerns at the police functioning in the state in what they termed as the “disclosure-based persecution” of public servants.
During a meeting of the Haryana IAS Officers Association convened to condole the death of IPS officer, Y Puran Kumar and express solidarity with his family, a number of IAS officers were learnt to be extremely vocal about the state police regularly using its authority in an “overbearing and unreasonable” manner. The meeting was chaired by chief secretary, Anurag Rastogi.
This, the IAS officers, said was more apparent in application of provisions of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act where after a 2018 amendment in the law it was obligatory and mandatory for the investigating agency to seek previous approval of the competent authority before initiating any inquiry or investigation.
The state government had in September declined to grant sanction for prosecuting an IAS officer who was arrested by the anti-corruption bureau in 2023 for his alleged involvement in a corruption case. The sanction to prosecute the officer was declined by the chief minister on the grounds that the ACB did not take prior approval of the state government under Section 17-A of the PC Act before the registration of a case in which the officer was named as an accused.
Several IAS officers who expressed themselves profusely said that the tendency of the police to book and arrest an officer merely on the basis of a disclosure statement of an accused was unjust. “This has happened in several instances over the past few years. An IAS officer was picked up by the police on the basis of the disclosure statement of an accused in a 2022 graft case and made to suffer, first in police and then in judicial custody. The state government declined sanction to prosecute him in 2024. The recent one in September is another example. Many such ill-founded cases will meet the same fate ultimately. But the trauma and stigma will stay for a long time with the officers and their families,” said an IAS officer who did not wish to be named.
{{/usCountry}}Several IAS officers who expressed themselves profusely said that the tendency of the police to book and arrest an officer merely on the basis of a disclosure statement of an accused was unjust. “This has happened in several instances over the past few years. An IAS officer was picked up by the police on the basis of the disclosure statement of an accused in a 2022 graft case and made to suffer, first in police and then in judicial custody. The state government declined sanction to prosecute him in 2024. The recent one in September is another example. Many such ill-founded cases will meet the same fate ultimately. But the trauma and stigma will stay for a long time with the officers and their families,” said an IAS officer who did not wish to be named.
{{/usCountry}}Another officer said that Haryana IAS cadre is demotivated because of the turn of events and it is becoming increasingly difficult to function.
In a statement, the association said “the allegations in FIR (number 319/2025) registered under section 308(3) of BNS, 2023 (extortion) at Police Station, Urban Estate, Rohtak on October 6, 2025, which led to this unfortunate incident, needs to be thoroughly investigated in a fair, transparent, and impartial manner.”
Puran Kumar’s act of ending his life has genesis in this FIR registered against a cop, Sushil Kumar who was deployed with the IPS officer and arrested for allegedly demanding illegal gratification from a liquor contractor.
“The association conveys its heartfelt condolences and steadfast support to IAS officer Amneet P Kumar (wife of Puran Kumar) during this time of immense grief and personal loss. It urges the Haryana government and Chandigarh administration to address the issues raised by Amneet P Kumar by way of representations addressed to Haryana chief minister on October 9, 2025, and to the SHO of Police Station Sector-11, Chandigarh on October 8, 2025, with utmost seriousness, sensitivity and keeping in view gravity of the circumstances,’’ the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Haryana IPS Officers’ Association too expressed condolences at the demise of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar. A delegation led by additional director general of police (Telecom, Highways and Traffic), Hardeep Singh Doon visited the residence of the late officer’s wife, Amneet P Kumar to personally convey their condolences.