NEW DELHI: A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the Jharkhand government's decision to appoint M V Rao as the acting Director General of Police (DGP) on the grounds that it violates the top court's orders regarding fixed tenure and seniority of state police chiefs.
Rao, an IPS officer of 1987 batch, was given the additional charge of DGP on March 16 after incumbent Kamal Nayan Choubey was transferred as an officer on special duty (OSD) in the Police Modernisation Division Camp in New Delhi.
The PIL filed by Prahlad Narayan Singh, who hails from Giridih district and claims to be a social activist, said that he is aggrieved by the blatant violation and disregard of the orders of the top court with regard to the appointment of "in-charge DGP" in the state by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led government "to satisfy their political interest".
The plea claimed that Rao, who stands fourth in seniority of Jharkhand-cadre IPS officers, was already holding charge of the Director-General (Fire services and Home Guard).
The plea, filed through advocate Sanchit Garga, said Choubey was transferred within 10 months of his appointment as the DGP "just to accommodate M V Rao who is otherwise not eligible but a favourite of the JMM-led government".
It said that Rao has been unlawfully appointed as in-charge DGP in gross violation of the directives and guidelines given by this court with regard to the appointment and tenure of DGP in every state.
The state's action "clearly demonstrates that the removal of the earlier DGP (Chaubey) is political and whimsical and a good officer has been made a victim of some political vendetta, the plea said.
The plea sought a direction to the Jharkhand government to end the interim arrangement and re-instate Chaubey in the post of DGP with immediate effect.
It also sought a direction to the Centre, Jharkhand government and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to comply with the law laid down in the Prakash Singh versus Union of India case of 2006.
The top court has passed a slew of directions on police reforms on a PIL of former DGP Prakash Singh, fixing two-year tenure for police chiefs and restraining states from appointing acting DGPs.