E-Paper
Uttar Pradesh may have to wait more for full-time DGP
UP Police ADG (law and order) Prashant Kumar likely to get the new responsibility (officiating DGP) as his name, along with 14 other IPS officers of 1990 and 1991 batches, is under consideration for the post of special DG
LUCKNOW Amid the buzz that officiating director general of police (DGP) DS Chauhan is likely to be made security advisor to the state government after his retirement on Friday, the UP Police will have to wait for some more time for a permanent chief, said sources in the department.
Moreover, additional director general (law and order) Prashant Kumar is likely to get the new responsibility (officiating DGP) as his name, along with 14 other IPS officers of 1990 and 1991 batches, is in consideration for the post of special DG.
DS Chauhan, a 1988 batch IPS officer, has been officiating DGP for around 10 months now after Mukul Goel was removed from the post following allegations of inaction and lack of interest towards work. Chauhan had the additional charge of DG (intelligence and vigilance) but was never confirmed as the full-time DGP due to disagreement over his posting among the stake holders in appointing the state police chief.
Sources said the state government is in no hurry to decide over the coveted post of the DGP and Prashant Kumar is likely to hold the charge for some time till the finalisation of the name of the next DGP.
They said the names of other IPS officers are also under consideration for the post. The state government, in communication from the Union government and other stakeholders, including the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the department of personnel and training (DoPT), will decide on the next DGP.
Another senior police official said Mukul Goel, who continued as DG (civil defence) after his removal from the DGP’s post in May last year, is the senior-most IPS officer of the 1987-batch and his superannuation is scheduled in February 2024. Anand Kumar, Vijaya Kumar and Safi Ahsan Rizvi are also among the contenders for the post.
As the state government had removed Goel from the DGP’s post earlier, it is unlikely that he would get another chance, the official said. He said five other IPS officers of the 1988 batch are RK Vishwakarma, Anil Agarwal, Anand Kumar and Vijaya Kumar. He said Anil Agarwal is supposed to retire in April and RK Vishwakarma in May. Hence, they don’t have the minimum six months of service left for consideration for the post.
“Anand Kumar, whose retirement is due in April 2024, and Vijaya Kumar, whose retirement is in January 2024, are among the top two front-runners,” he said.
The contenders also include 1989 batch IPS officers Safi Ahsan Rizvi, who is serving in the ministry of home affairs for many years; Ashish Gupta, who was kept on waiting since he returned from central deputation over two months ago; Aditya Mishra and PV Ramasastry, who are currently on central deputation.
