KN Police : Banglore : Next DGP's name still a mystery

BANGALORE: The name of the state director general and inspector general of police (DG&IGP) is still under wraps. In fact, it has been kept so by a state government which is yet to open the sealed envelope holding the names cleared and sent by the Union Public Service Commission .

So for the first time in Karnataka's police history, the state police force does not have a 'regular' DG&IGP. Petitions have been filed before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and Karnataka High Court, and dismissed, but there is still a haze over who will finally take the baton.

Part of this chaos has been created by the state government. Home ministry sources stated that the state government had submitted a list of four names to the UPSC in December 2010, a month before Ramesh's predecessor Ajai Kumar Singh retired. The UPSC cleared two names, but nobody knows who they are. "This is because the envelope containing the names of candidates to the DGP's post is still kept under wraps. The government is yet to open the sealed cover and this has created all the confusion," said a source.

Ramesh petitions cat

The 'Who next?' predicament came to the fore after the dismissal of a petition filed by 'in-charge' director general of police ST Ramesh before CAT last Friday (June 17). Ramesh had contended that his name did not figure in the list of 'probable candidates' sent by UPSC to take over the post of police chief.

It is still a mystery whose names figure in the list UPSC sent to the state government, to be appointed as 'regular' DG&IGP. Ramesh expressed doubts in his petition that his name was not included in the list, and also shot off a representation to the government asking that the names be revealed. But nothing happened after that.

Much before this, senior-most police officer in the state DV Guruprasad, now heading the state fire and emergency services, had petitioned CAT, seeking to post an eligible candidate to the DG&IGP post. The CAT, in its order on April 21, asked the government to appoint a 'regular' DG&IGP on or before May 1.

But amid these developments, former Bangalore police commissioner Shankar M Bidari, who heads the government Railway Police as additional director general of police (ADGP), sought the intervention of the High Court, challenging the CAT order on the DGP appointment. His petition was also dismissed on the ground that he was not eligible and that he comes from junior rank.

"There is uncertainty even after this. There will be another exercise of sending one more list of 'probables' to the UPSC," said an official.