BENGALURU: In a major relief to the beleaguered Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, the state government on Monday revoked the suspension of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and former Bengaluru city police commissioner B Dayanand and former deputy commissioner of police (Bengaluru Central) Shekar H Tekkannavar and has reinstated them into service with “immediate effect”. Dayanand and Tekkannavar belong to the IPS batches of 1994 and 2014.
Besides the two IPS officers, the government has also revoked the suspension of state police officers -- former Cubbon Park assistant commissioner of police -- C Balakrishna and police inspector AK Girish and has reinstated them into service with immediate effect.
Dayanand and the other three police officers were suspended following the Chinnaswamy Stadium stampede on June 4, in which 11 people -- fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) -- lost their lives, when they had gathered outside the stadium to celebrate RCB’s maiden victory in the IPL tournament. Another IPS officer and former additional commissioner of police (Bengaluru West) Vikash Kumar Vikash, who was also placed under suspension following the stampede had got relief from the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which quashed his suspension order on July 1. The government went in appeal against the CAT order the next day.
Meanwhile, the GO, issued on July 28, quoted Rule-3(7)(c) of the All India Services (AIS) (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1969, to revoke the suspension of Dayananda and Tekkannavar and reinstated into service with immediate effect, “pending the initiation of disciplinary proceedings under Rule 8 of AIS (Discipline and Appeal) Rules”.
The suspension of Balakrishna and Girish was revoked under rule 5(5) of Karnataka State Police (Disciplinary Proceedings) Rule 1965. They have been reinstated into service with “immediate effect, pending the initiation of disciplinary proceedings as per the rules”, read the GO.
The government had ordered a magisterial inquiry by the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Bengaluru Urban district, Jagadish G, and had constituted a one-man judicial commission under the chairmanship of retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice John Michael D’Cunha to inquire into the stadium stampede. The government noted that the judicial commission and magisterial committee have completed their inquiry into the stampede incident and have submitted their reports on July 10 and 11. “The officers also have submitted representations requesting to revoke their suspension. In view of the above, the order of suspension of the above said officers have been reconsidered by the Government,” the GO stated.
There will be two vacancies in the post of DGP this month-end following the proposed regularisation of appointment of DG&IGP Mohammed Saleem as Head of Police Force (HoPF) and superannuation of DGP, Prison & Correctional Services, Malini Krishnamurthy on July 31. Saleem, DGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), was appointed in-charge DG&IGP after the retirement of his predecessor Alok Mohan in May.
As per the Supreme Court guidelines, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) must shortlist names of senior-most IPS officers in the state for the post of DG&IGP and share the same with the state government. Procedurally, the chief minister then appoints one of the shortlisted officers as HoPF. Two senior-most ADGPs are awaiting promotion as DGP. The departmental promotion committee (DPC) is yet to meet to clear them for the post.
