This news is no less than a shock in the context of Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Dilbag Singh, who is considered a favorite of the Central Government. Going to retire within a few days , DGP Dilbag Singh has been told , through an order, that he cannot transfer officers even up to the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police on his own will. Apart from this, he has been asked to send the list of names of all those DSPs who have been prematurely transferred in the last three months.
In terrorism-hit Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Government has not expressed any special displeasure over the work of Police Chief Dilbag Singh, no matter how many controversies there have been regarding the police there. His continuation on this post for 5 consecutive years also indicates the government’s satisfaction with his role as police’s leader. In such a situation, the above order obviously has a surprise element for everyone.
The order has been issued to the Police Chief of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir by Dr. Arvind Karwani, Additional Secretary in the Home Department of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. It is possible that these orders may be for the future also, but their issuance just before the retirement of the current police chief Dilbag Singh is being seen from a different perspective.
The tenure of Dilbag Singh, a 1987 batch officer of the Indian Police Service, is till 31 October 2023. Dilbagh Singh has been the chief of Jammu and Kashmir Police for five consecutive years. This order also indicates that there are no chances of him to get any kind of extension in service as was speculated.
The said order was issued by Additional Secretary Dr. Arvind Karwani on October 5, 2023. It has been directed that from now onwards the DGP cannot transfer any DSP level officer without approval. For this, he will first have to send complete details of that officer to the Home Department.
” …henceforth no transfers at the level of Deputy Superintendents of Police be effected , without obtaining approval of the government , and the proposals for transfers and postings of Deputy Superintendent of Police be forwarded to the Home Department, along with complete details “, the order says.
Although similar or different types of orders have been issued even earlier also regarding the powers of DGP of Jammu and Kashmir, there is one more important point in this order. The police chief has been asked to provide details of all those officers of DSP rank who were transferred prematurely during the last three months. Moreover, the DGP has been asked to submit the list of such DSPs on immediate priority.
IPS Dilbagh Singh:
Dilbag Singh, resident of Amritsar, Punjab, is a 1987 batch Jammu and Kashmir cadre officer of the Indian Police Service. He was born on 10 October 1963, according to which he has completed the retirement age of 60 years. IPS Dilbagh Singh was promoted to the rank of Director General on January 1, 2017 and was made the Chief of Jammu and Kashmir Police on October 31, 2018. His tenure as Police Chief will be completed on 31st October 2023.
