Shillong, Jan. 23: The Meghalaya government is exploring two options while selecting a new director-general of police (DGP) — give a three-month extension to the present DGP, S.B. Kakati, or to appoint the next senior official, Prem Singh (1977 batch), as the acting DGP.

Official sources today said Kakati, who is scheduled to retire on January 31, is not keen to continue in office after retirement.

Meghalaya had in the past appointed many senior police officials as acting DGPs instead of full-fledged DGPs, as this was convenient for the political masters to effect changes.

The state had at least four acting DGPs within two years since 2007, beginning with the appointment of senior police official B.K. Dey Sawian in March as acting the DGP. Sawian got a Delhi assignment in February 2009.

Then the present director general of prisons, Kulbir Krishan, was appointed as the acting DGP by the then NCP-UDP led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance government.

In May, after the Congress-led government came to power, Krishan was removed and Anil Pradhan was appointed to the post. In August, B. Kezo replaced Pradhan, who was forced to go on leave after the infamous May 31 Shillong jailbreak.

A source in the state home department today said there were indications that the government planned to appoint a junior police officer, P.J. Hanneman (1979 batch), the brother of speaker Charles Pyngrope, to the post. But it would have to wait till Hanneman was relieved of his current foreign assignment. Sources said though Krishan (1976 batch) was one of the senior-most officers, his action during President’s rule in 2009 in dismantling the illegal tollgates in Garo Hills had irked some Congress politicians.

from Garo hills who are part of the current Meghalaya United Alliance government. Krishan is even senior to the current DGP Kakati.