: In a significant move, the Punjab government on Friday appointed 1988-batch IPS officer special DGP Prabodh Kumar as the state’s new intelligence chief.
The orders issued were part of the first major police reshuffle by the government. Kumar will replace ADGP AS Rai.
Rai has now been posted as ADGP traffic. ADGP Sudhanshu Shrivastava, 1994 batch IPS officer, has been posted as ADGP intelligence.
Intelligence chief, considered as the most powerful post after the DGP, directly converses with the chief minister on a regular basis. Many other senior officers were also eyeing for this post.
However, Prabodh was picked because of his highly professional approach. He had also served in the CBI and does not belong to any faction in police groups.
Kumar, who headed the SIT formed by previous Captain Amarinder Singh’s government to investigate the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police firing cases, remained the eyesore of many during the 111 days of the previous government under Charanjit Singh Channi.
He was openly targeted by a section of ministers, while raising questions over the probe conducted by the SIT.
After Channi became the chief minister, Prabodh had even written to the state government expressing his availability for central deputation.
{{/usCountry}}After Channi became the chief minister, Prabodh had even written to the state government expressing his availability for central deputation.
{{/usCountry}}Notably, as former IG and now Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Amritsar North Kunwar Vijay Partap was also part of the SIT. Prabodh, as an SIT head, had accused Kunwar of not taking other members of the SIT into confidence while filing challan in the court. After this controversy, Prabodh had gradually distanced himself from the case with Kunwar calling the shots.
After these appointments, a massive reshuffle is expected in the Punjab police in the coming days.