A pioneer of prison reforms

As the chief of State Task Force (STF) in Bihar, this IPS officer is credited with smashing the network of kidnapping gangs, naxals, smugglers between 2001 and 2005. Originally from the united AP cadre, he was the one who took on the dreaded former Siwan MP Mohammed Shahabuddin and arrested his close aides.

Back in Telangana cadre, senior IPS officer V.K. Singh is widely credited for bringing major reforms while serving as DG, Prisons Department and making it one of the most profitable government departments.

Known to have an impeccable track-record, his habit of frequently writing letters to the state government to draw their attention over official matters is something that irked not only the powersthat-be but also his senior colleagues in the Telangana police, who would often advise him to ‘go slow.’ While serving as DG, Prisons, Singh, who sought premature retirement on Wednesday, had written close to 60 letters to the Chief Minister, Home Minister and top bureaucrats -- to draw their attention to a longpending meeting of the Prisons Development Board (PDB) for which the Chief Minister is the Chairman.

Though the meeting never took place, as it was not a priority for the government, it ended up with his transfer as Commissioner of Printing and Stationary, considered a “punishment posting.” He was posted as DG, Prisons in June 2014 and during his tenure, the turnover of the prisons industry was `600 crore, a first in the history of prisons department. Sources close to Singh, told Deccan Chronicle that of late, he had been talking about continuing the movement which Anna Hazare had started.

He had gone public several times saying he would contemplate taking voluntary retirement.