NEW DELHI: When Alok Kumar Verma replaced B S Bassi as Delhi Police commissioner on February 29, the power equation within the 80,000-strong force changed from the first day. It did not take more than three hours for Verma to assert his ideas and priorities, and send a strong warning to top officers to toe the line that he wants to draw.
In his first official meeting with all the Special Commissioners, Joint Commissioners, Additional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners, Verma— a 1979-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer—reprimanded his second-most senior officer, Special Commissioner of Police (Special Unit) Dharmendra Kumar, about his phone vibrating on the table. Kumar, a confidant of Bassi, was in the running for the post of police commissioner. A few days later, Kumar left the force for Central deputation as Additional DG at the CISF. He did not even get the official tea farewell. Incidentally, Bassi’s last few days in the office were mired in controversy over the incidents in the JNU.
Sources said the new commissioner has made it clear that he will call the shots in every matter, unlike his predecessor who had delegated jobs to his subordinates. They said Verma keeps his cards close to his chest, will monitor transfers and postings in the force from the rank of Special Commissioner to Sub-inspectors. Those who were close to Bassi are fearing witch-hunt in the new regime, sources added.
Verma wants to keep the media away, unlike Bassi, who was readily available to journalists. He keeps a watch on every published news about Delhi Police. He replaced DCP Rajan Bhagat, who was the force’s spokesperson for nine-long years, with Special Commissioner Taj Hassan, and issued an order stating that all officers will have to take permission from Hassan before interacting with the press. Hassan, who heads the Crime Branch, will be given more responsibilities eventually.
Verma also abolished the post of DG Scale Coordination, wherein Special Commissioners heading a unit only reported to him. Five important units, headed by Special Commissioners, used to report to the DG Scale Coordination Deepak Mishra, who was heading the Law and Order Wing of the city for the past three-and-a-half years. When Mishra approached Verma seeking a new posting in the department, he was non-committal. Left with no option, Mishra was forced to look for Central deputation, which Verma cleared.
Verma’s Favourite Five
With Kumar and Mishra out of the force, five police officers close to Verma are following his orders to the T. J K Sharma (posted as DG Home Guards) is tipped to head the administration department, a post considered second-most powerful after the Commissioner. Sources said Special Commissioner of Police General Administration, Ajay Kumar Singh, will be heading the Vigilance Wing.
Amulya Patnaik, who heads the Vigilance Wing, is likely to be sent to the Law and Order Department. Sources said Verma is planning to divide this department into two wings, one headed by Patnaik and another by S N Srivastava. The division was mooted by Bassi, which was stopped by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung. Sources added that Srivastava, who is supposed to join CRPF as Additional DG, will not be relieved by Verma. Srivastava was chief of the Anti-terror Unit before he was sent to head the Armed Battalion by Bassi for not toeing his line.
Waiting in the Ranks
IPS officer Sudhir Yadav, who heads the Provision and Logistic Department and has a cold relationship with Verma, has been tipped to become the next Director General of Tihar Jail. Yadav’s name has been sent to Jung for approval. Verma has planned overhauling the most controversial unit of Delhi Police, the Special Cell. Sources said an anti-terror unit officer and Bassi’s blue-eyed boy will be transferred out of the unit and replaced by a young officer from the districts.