E-Paper
Third ‘acting’ DGP in a row for U.P. likely
Uttar Pradesh is likely to see its third consecutive acting Director General of Police (DGP) as the state government is yet to send a panel of IPS officers to the Centre for final selection. The government is considering the names of six IPS officers of 1987 and 1988 batches, with Vijaya Kumar or Anand Kumar, the two senior-most IPS officers of 1988 batch, expected to be appointed for the time being. The state is also mulling over a regular DGP following contempt pleas filed in the Supreme Court over the appointment of "acting" DGPs in violation of apex court orders.
Suspense over the next director general of police (DGP) of Uttar Pradesh continues as the second consecutive acting top cop of the state RK Vishwakarma is set to retire on Wednesday (May 31). Senior government officials of home and police departments said although the state government is mulling over the names of probable senior IPS officers, initially U.P. is likely to get acting DGP for the third successive time.
“It is almost sure that U.P. will have acting DGP for the third consecutive time as the panel of IPS officers is yet not sent to the Centre for final selection of IPS officers to be considered for the coveted post,” a senior government official privy to the development said.
“The names of six IPS officers of 1987 and 1988 batches, including three on central deputation, are under consideration for the post,” the official added.
He said the state government was likely to appoint either Vijaya Kumar or Anand Kumar, the two senior-most IPS officers of 1988 batch, for the time being. He said 1987 batch IPS officer Mukul Goel, who was removed as the UP DGP on May 11, 2022, by the state government much prior to his superannuation in February 2024 following allegations of inaction and lack of interest towards work, was, however, presently posted as DG Civil Defence.
He said Goel was the last regular DGP. After him, two consecutive ‘acting’ DGPs DS Chauhan and RK Vishwakarma served the post for 11 months and one month respectively. He said the retirement of Vijaya Kumar and Anand Kumar was in January and April 2024 respectively.
“The state is also mulling over the regular DGP following the contempt pleas filed in the Supreme Court against the Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab governments for appointing “acting” DGPs in violation of apex court orders. For the regular DGP, the state government will consider the IPS officers, who have clean service record and are non-controversial as well as having two years of service period left,” he said.
The last regular DGP, who completed his full term of nearly two years was OP Singh from January 2018 to January 2020 and then another regular DGP HC Awasthy remained on the post from February 2020 to June 2021 for nearly 16 months and Mukul Goel served the post from July 2021 to May 2022.
