Kulbir Krishan

Shillong, Nov. 2: The Union home ministry has asked the Meghalaya home department to abolish the post of director-general of police (prisons) created to accommodate the seniormost police official of the state, Kulbir Krishan, after he was removed from the post of acting DGP.

The directive issued by the Centre will put the Meghalaya government in trouble, as it has to accommodate Krishan in some post since he has already been promoted to the rank of DGP.

In a letter to the state home department on October 23, the under secretary to the government of India, O.S. Ashok, asked the Meghalaya government to abolish the new post and not to appoint any officer in this non-approved post.

The directive of the Union home ministry followed the controversy over the removal of Krishan from the post of acting DGP before he was appointed DG (prisons).

Krishan, belonging to the 1976 batch of IPS of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was appointed officiating DGP from February 10 this year during the tenure of the erstwhile NCP-UDP-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government after the then Meghalaya DGP, B.K. Dey Sawian, went to Delhi on deputation.

When the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance came into power on May 17, the government replaced Krishan who had served only four months in office.

Later, in place of Krishan, Anil Pradhan (from the 1977 batch of IPS) was appointed the new acting DGP. Pradhan could not continue for long in office after he was forced to take medical leave following protests from pressure groups accusing him of messing up the inquiry into the May 31 Shillong jailbreak.

The home department in August appointed B. Kezo from the 1978 batch of IPS as the acting DGP only to be replaced by Sibabrata Kakoti from the 1976 batch who was appointed the new DGP of Meghalaya on October 27.

Soon after the removal of Krishan as the police chief, the state home department accommodated him as DG (prisons) on June 5 after the creation of the second ex-cadre post at the DG level.

However, the Accountant General raised objections to the move. As a result, Krishan is yet to receive any salary for the past five months.

According to the Union home ministry directive, besides the post of DG (police) Meghalaya can have only one more ex-cadre post which is now being held by W.R. Marbaniang, DG (civil defence and homeguards.)

The creation of the second ex-cadre post, DG (prisons) is not acceptable to the home ministry.

“The proposal of the state government for the creation of second ex-cadre post at the level of DGP has not been found tenable. The state government is requested to abolish the second ex- cadre post created in excess to the prescribed ration of 1:1,” the home ministry letter said.