NEW DELHI: Special Protection Group (SPG) Chief Bharat Vir Wanchoo, a 1976 batch IPS officer who retires on October 31, is likely to get an extension of another six months. The elite force is responsible for the security of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Gandhi family that includes Congress President Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka.
Coming on the heels of the appointment of Pulok Chatterjee as principal secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Wangchoo’s extension is yet another example of the ranks around the Prime Minister being packed with Gandhi family loyalists.
According to sources, the main reason for Wanchoo getting a extension is upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. In the six months’ period, the elections in the state, scheduled for March 2012, will be concluded. However during this period, the Gandhi family members would need to travel extensively for the election campaign. Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is leading the political fight to win the Assembly elections and had planned extensive tours across the state in coming months.
The Government wants to maintain continuity at the top level of the SPG at this crucial time due to various complexities involved in providing securities to the country’s most protected VVIPS. The elite force completely controls their security and coordinates with local police during their movements. During the elections, the security threats to the VVIPS increase manifold due to constant road travels, political rallies, late night meetings and night stay.
However, the IPS fraternity is not surprised over Wanchoo’s clouts. Soon after the UPA I Government came into power, he was appointed the SPG Director in September 2004 overlooking claims of at least five of his senior colleagues. The West Bengal cadre IPS officer who had spent more than two decades in SPG and the Intelligence Bureau, Wanchoo is considered to be a Gandhi family loyalist since the days of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs say that last month there was a buzz that Wanchoo could retire and get a plum gubernatorial posting. His possible replacement was N Ramachandran, a 1978 batch IPS officer from Assam- Meghalaya cadre. His long stint in the SPG for more than 12 years in the capacity of SP, DIG and IG were credentials that were being considered in his favour.
However, Ramachandran, who had returned to his parent cadre and was posted as an Additional Director General of Police in Assam police, had now been posted as the DGP of Meghalaya Police on September 28.