RANCHI: In yet another disappointment for Chief Minister Hemant Soren, the central government has stayed the decision of Jharkhand government to extend DGP Anurag Gupta term, who is scheduled to retire on April 30.
According to sources in Jharkhand Police Headquarters, the Union Home Ministry has issued a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, expressing that the decision to retain Anurag Gupta as DGP beyond his retirement date can't be done.
The letter has been sent to the Jharkhand government officials as CM Hemant Soren is currently on a foreign trip.
The letter also stated that the DGP's appointment is not in accordance with the All-India Service Rule.
MLA Saryu Roy also posted on his X (formerly twitter)highlighting the central government’s stance, saying that the Union Home Ministry has deemed the Jharkhand government’s decision to extend Anurag Gupta’s tenure as DGP wrong.
Notably, DGP Anurag Gupta was appointed to the post of DGP on February 3 following a notification issued by the state government stating that his tenure will be in accordance with Rule 10 (1) of the Selection and Appointment Rules 2025 of Director General and Inspector General of Police Jharkhand (Chief of Police Force). But, according to the central government, his retirement is on 30 April 2025.
Earlier, Anurag Gupta, who first assumed the role of in-charge DGP of Jharkhand on July 26, 2024, was removed from the post during the state assembly elections by the Election Commission of India. Following the elections, Gupta was reinstated again DGP on November 28, 2024, after Hemant Soren government came power with thumping majority.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Jharkhand Assembly Babulal Marandi filed a PIL terming the appointment of DGP Anurag Gupta as unconstitutional and a violation of a Supreme Court directive.
Marandi in his PIL, accused the state government of violating constitutional norms and misusing the police administration for political purposes. He pointed out that the Supreme Court's 2006 ruling in the Prakash Singh case mandated that the DGP should be selected from a panel recommended by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). However, the state government, instead of passing an act, created a rule in 2025 and attempted to implement it retrospectively.
The Leader of Opposition also questioned that how such a rule could come into effect without proper legislation and criticized officials for allowing what he called an "illegal process."
Marandi also urged the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court to take suo-moto cognizance of the matter and order a CBI probe.
According to the Supreme Court’s directive, the state government is required to appoint the DGP from a panel of the three senior-most officers recommended by the UPSC. Furthermore, the appointed officer must serve a minimum tenure of two years, irrespective of their retirement date.