Patna, May 26: Speculation is rife over Ranjit Sinha, a 1974-batch IPS officer of Bihar cadre, becoming a contender for the post of director-general of police (DGP) after he was relieved from the charge of DGP, Railway Protection Force. Sinha has been put on compulsory wait and asked to report to the Union ministry of home affairs.
The present DGP, Neel Mani, a 1975-batch IPS officer, is slated to retire on August 31, 2011.
At present, two senior most IPS officers are locked in the race for the coveted post. They are Monoje Nath (1973 batch) and U.S. Dutt (1976 batch). The possibility of Dutt becoming the DGP is bleak because he will retire this September, a month after the retirement of Neel Mani. Sinha will superannuate in 2013.
Nath, on the other hand, earned the wrath of the government when he locked horns with then chairman of the Bihar State Electricity Board (BSEB), Swapan Mukherjee. An FIR was lodged at the vigilance police station in Patna against Mukherjee’s alleged involvement in financial irregularities. Nath was the DGP in the vigilance cell of BSEB then.
Departmental proceedings were also initiated against Nath for his alleged refusal to investigate an incident involving seizure of liquor, cash and ammunition from Vijay Prakash, an RJD candidate from Jamui and brother of former Union minister Jai Prakash Narain Yadav, during the 2005 Assembly polls.
Patna High Court quashed the departmental proceedings against Nath, known as a no-nonsense officer in the police circles, in February 2010. The proceedings were initiated against him almost three years after the recommendation of then DGP Ashish Ranjan Sinha for his alleged disobedience.
Sources in the state police headquarters said one post in the DG rank was vacant at present following the retirement of J.K. Khanna (1994 batch) on April 30. Khanna was serving as the director-general in the Civil Defence.
If the state government goes by the seniority, Nath is the formidable candidate for the post. But this has not happened in the past. At least two junior officers — D.N. Gautam and Neel Mani, both of 1974 batch — were appointed as the DGP superseding Nath, who is presently posted as DG (training). Nath would retire in 2012.
If Sinha, who earlier served with the CBI and the central paramilitary force in different capacities, is not chosen for the top cop’s post, Ashok Kumar Gupta and Abhayanand — both of 1977-batch — can be promoted to the rank of DGP.
Shafi Alam, V. Narayanan and R.C Sinha, also of the same batch, are other contenders for the post.
A home department officer said he had not yet received any information about Sinha’s return from the central deputation. “We have no official information from the Union ministry of home affairs in this regard,” he added.
Sinha had a stint with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) before his appointment as director-general of the RPF. He had filled the vacancy caused by the retirement of M.K. Sinha, another Bihar cadre IPS officer, in 2008.
Sinha was notified to hold the post for a period of five years or till his superannuation on March 31, 2013 or till further orders, which ever is earlier, sources said.
