Virk retires, Roy takes over for now

Maharashtra’s Director General of Police Sarabdeep Singh Virk retired on Saturday, after serving the force in Maharashtra and Punjab for 39 years, reports HT Correspondent.

Maharashtra’s Director General of Police Sarabdeep Singh Virk retired on Saturday, after serving the force in Maharashtra and Punjab for 39 years.

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Virk confirmed that A N Roy, now Director General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), and whom he had taken over from, will now hold additional charge as state DGP, till any further government decision on the issue.

Virk took charge from Roy in March this year after the Bombay High Court quashed Roy’s appointment, saying his selection process was “arbitary and violated apex court guidelines”.

Virk, a daredevil 1970 batch Indian Police Services officer, spent most of his career in Punjab and has seen the heights of militancy in that state. Allegations of corruption levelled against him saw the Punjab government suspend his as DGP in April 2007.

In 2008, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) set aside his suspension, paving the way for him to become Maharashtra’s DGP. July this year, Virk asked the CAT for an extension to his tenure as Maharashtra DGP. The tribunal denied him an extension and directed the state to decide on the matter by Saturday.

He also said there had been apprehensions on his ability to deliver.

Among the issues he discussed, Virk said Islamic fundamentalism is the biggest challenge that needs to be addressed, pointing out how the police have changed their approach to crisis situations, and that the force “is now prepared to face any problem”.

During the course of his address, he also said Maharashtra’s state government had cooperated with him in every plan of his, including Naxalite violence, terrorism and police modernisation.”