Punjab govt sends panel of 10 officers to UPSC for DGP’S post

CHANDIGARH: In a late-night move after chief minister Charajnit Singh Channi’s meeting with Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Sidhu, the state government on Thursday sent a panel of 10 officials to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for the appointment of a regular director general of police (DGP).

According to information, the 10 names sent include 1986-batch IPS officer S Chattopadhya, incumbent DGP Dinkar Gupta (1987), MK Tiwari, VK Bhawra, Parbodh Kumar, Rohit Chaudhary, IPS Sahota, Sanjeev Kalra, Parag Jain (on central deputation) and BK Uppal.

As the name of Chattopadhyaya is being strongly pushed by the state Congress chief, the decision to send panel late in the night as it was the IPS officer’s last day to stake his claim for the top post in the state police. The Supreme Court orders mandate that name of any officer having less than six months of service cannot be considered in the panel for the DGP’S post.

Chattopadhaya, a hot-favourite of Sidhu, is scheduled to retire on March 31 next year and if the names were not sent on Thursday, he would have been out of the race for the top post.

Same is in the case of Rohit Chaudhary, who is also scheduled to retire on March 31 next year.

According to the apex court order, the state government will send a panel of senior officials to the UPSC with a request to appoint the new DGP. The UPSC will return a panel of three officials after considering their service record and the other necessary requirements. Of these three, the state has to select one officer for the top job.

The government has made up its mind to replace incumbent DGP Dinkar Gupta, who has proceeded on a month’s leave after which the charge of the office was given to IPS Sahota.

Sidhu had opposed the government for giving additional charge of the Punjab DGP to Sahota claiming that when the 2015 Bargari sacrilege took place, the SIT led by him (Sahota) indicted two Sikh youth for sacrilege and gave a clean chit to the Badals.

THE 10 NAMES SENT TO THE UPSC INCLUDE SIDHARTH CHATTOPADHYA, INCUMBENT DGP DINKAR GUPTA, MK TIWARI, VK BHAWRA, PARBODH KUMAR, ROHIT CHAUDHARY, IPS SAHOTA, SANJEEV KALRA, PARAG JAIN (ON CENTRAL DEPUTATION) AND BK UPPAL