BOMBAY, 24 February 2005 — The succession race for the post of Maharashtra state police chief has begun.
The present director general of police (DGP) is set to retire at the end of April. Though the state DGP’s post is not deemed as prestigious as that of Bombay police commissioner, still there are several contenders for the position and lobbying is in full swing.
The DGP’s post goes to the senior most officer in the police hierarchy according to a judgment of the Bombay High Court.
However, the state government has the discretion to pick and choose based on the annual confidential report of officers.
A police source said that according to seniority list, the next incumbent is Swardeep Singh Virk, presently DGP in Punjab, who belongs to the Maharashtra cadre and has been on deputation to Punjab since 1984. But Virk is not said to be keen on the job.
If Virk refuses to return, then the second senior person is Parvinder Singh Pasricha, the present DGP, Anti-Corruption Bureau. But the government is not keen to give him the state DGP’s post.
In order to prevent Pasricha from reaching the highest police post, the state government is pulling all strings with the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to ensure that Virk is sent back to his state cadre.
Meanwhile, a court in Bombay Monday released suspended Director General of Police, Housing, Rahul Gopal, on bail. He was in jail for more than two months on corruption charges.
Gopal, who earlier was the chief of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, was arrested by his close colleague, Pasricha, who took charge from him as DGP, Anti-Corruption Bureau.
