Patna, July 29: The police headquarters is sitting on the orders of the home department to relieve a Karnataka cadre IPS officer working in Bihar on deputation for the last five years.
The officer, Umesh Kumar, belongs to the 1996 batch and is at present posted in Gaya as the deputy inspector-general, Magadh range.
Kumar, a native of Bihar who also happens to be the son-in-law of senior BJP leader and Legislative Council member Ganga Prasad, was posted here on inter-state deputation in 2006.
Under the prescribed rules, an officer posted in a state other than his parent cadre on deputation can serve for a maximum period of five years. In case of Kumar, the period got over on July 16, 2011.
Additional director-general of police (headquarters) Rajvardhan Sharma confirmed that Kumar’s five-year deputation was over. “The police headquarters is awaiting the Centre’s directive,” Sharma told The Telegraph over phone.
Kumar could not be contacted for comment in spite of repeated atte- mpts. “Saheb meeting mein hain (The boss is in the meeting),” was the response The Telegraph got after calling Kumar on his official cellphone on Friday.
The state government had twice requested the Centre to extend Kumar’s period of deputation but failed to get a favourable response. The government then decided to relieve him. An order in this regard was issued by the state home department on July 5, asking the director-general of police to release Kumar by July 16.
Bosses in the police headquarters, however, chose to sit on the order. “Kumar still continues in the post and is discharging duty in the capacity of the DIG, which is in violation of the prescribed rules,” a police officer said under cover of anonymity.
“Kumar keeps visiting police stations, attends meetings and disposes of cases even after the lapse of his tenure in Bihar.”
A source in the state police headquarters said the officer was not released in anticipation of an extension of his deputation period by the Union home ministry.
“The proposal for the extension of Kumar’s deputation has been sent to the Centre for the third time,” the source said. The proposal was sent after Raj Kumar Singh, a Bihar cadre IAS officer, assumed charge as Union home secretary.
