NEW DELHI: Rakesh Asthana was appointed Delhi Police Commissioner in public interest, the Centre has told the Delhi High Court, seeking dismissal of a plea challenging the appointment.
Defending the move to bring in the Gujarat-cadre IPC officer as Delhi Police chief, an affidavit filed by Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs, said, “The prime consideration for the same was that Delhi being the capital of the country has been witnessing diverse and extremely challenging situations of public order/law and order/policing issues which not only had national security implications but also international/cross border implications.”
The government said it felt a “compelling need” to appoint a person who had vast experience of heading a large police force in a state having diverse public order problem and experience of working in a central investigating agency as well as paramilitary forces.
The Centre further contended that the appointment was done in accordance with and after scrupulously following all rules and regulations.
The affidavit was filed in response to a PIL by lawyer Sadre Alam. Contending that the plea was an “abuse of process of law”, the Centre said the PIL and the intervention application of NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation challenging Asthana’s appointment in the Supreme Court, deserved “to be dismissed with exemplary costs”.
The petitioner and the intervener are mere busy bodies” claiming to espouse a public cause, it contended.