West Bengal is still awaiting an order on the appointment of its new DGP even as the incumbent police chief is set to retire on Tuesday, August 31. DGP Virendra, a 1985-batch IPS officer, was given a farewell in the Police Academy last week. Many are calling it unprecedented in the history of the state that the incumbent DG has already been given a farewell, but his successor is yet to be announced.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), under the PMO, is currently in talks with the Mamata Banerjee government to choose the final candidate.
Sources said the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which had 11 names from the state government, has zeroed in on three names—Manoj Malviya, Suman Bala Sahoo and Adhir Sharma—to be considered for the top post. It is to be noted that all the three are only DG-rank officers in Bengal and have at least two years of service left.
While Malviya, a descendant of freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malviya's family, is currently DG-organisation, Sahoo is DG-Welfare, and Sharma is DG-Railways. Malviya is a 1986-batch IPS officer, while the other two are from the 1987 batch.
However, Malviya's name had cropped up in various corruption allegations during his tenure as the chief of the Bureau of Civil Aviation. At the same time, he is known for a strong, investigative mind with long years in central deputation. He did not, however, get a prized posting during Banerjee's 10 years as CM.
The same is applicable for Sahoo as well. Sahoo has been given the special charge of leading the SIT set up on order from the Calcutta High Court that would probe the West Bengal post-poll violence, except cases of grave nature like murders and rapes. Her team would be supervised by a retired Supreme Court judge.
The work of the SIT is yet to start as the high court is yet to name the retired SC judge who would monitor the team. The CBI, on the other hand, has begun filing FIRs and so far, has investigating 28 cases in the last few days for grave crimes, including murder, gang-rapes and lootings.
Obviously, for the new DGP, the challenge would be manifolds. Sahoo, being made the head of the SIT, may not be selected for the top post. Otherwise, she would have become the first woman police chief in Bengal serving under the first woman chief minister of Bengal.
However, a source also claimed that she can also supervise the SIT even as the DGP of Bengal.
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Sources said Banerjee had reservations about Malviya and Sahoo as Malviya is known to be connected with the current ruling dispensation in Delhi and Sahoo is known to be a stickler of rules. Many believe that intense discussions are going on between Kolkata and Delhi over the selection of the new DGP.
Virendra would also have to hand over the charge as he steps down tomorrow. With no name being declared on Monday, he may hand over the charge to Malviya, the second senior-most officer in office. Malviya could work as an acting DGP of Bengal till DoPT clears the final name, but that too requires PMO's sanction.
In a similar situation that arose due to the pandemic last year, Assam's current DGP Bhaskarjyoti Mahanta had worked as the acting police chief for a few months before he was finally given the permanent post. Bengal is also heading towards the same, but unprecedented situation, provided no name has been announced on Monday.