In a significant administrative move, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has repatriated an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and a Delhi Police inspector back to their parent force after their extended tenure in the violence-hit state. The Governor has simultaneously requested the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to depute suitable substitute officers to ensure the continued supervision of investigations into cases related to the ethnic strife.
Two-Year Tenure Concludes, State Seeks Fresh Oversight
The officers, IPS officer Harendra Kumar Singh and Inspector Praveen Kumar Maheshwari of the Delhi Police, were originally sent to Manipur in 2023 following directives from the MHA. Their services were placed at the disposal of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe First Information Reports (FIRs) linked to the ethnic violence that erupted in the state. While initially attached to the Manipur Police, their primary role was to assist the central agency and the state government in the complex investigation process.
An order issued earlier this month by H Balkrisna Singh, Additional Secretary (Home) for Manipur, formalized the repatriation. The order stated that the Governor was “pleased to repatriate” the two officials to their parent departments, acting on the MHA's directions and a proposal from the Manipur Police Department.
Background of the Deputation and Supreme Court Mandate
The chain of events began in August 2023 when the MHA wrote to the Delhi Police, seeking officers for the Manipur assignment. Official records show that on September 13, 2023, then Additional Commissioner of Police P K Mishra nominated four officers: IPS officers Shweta Chauhan and Esha Pandey (2010 batch), Harendra Kumar Singh (2011 batch), and Inspector Praveen Kumar Maheshwari.
While Esha Pandey was deputed directly to the CBI, the other three were directed to work with the Manipur Government. Notably, Harendra Kumar Singh, who was a Superintendent of Police at the time of his deputation, was promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) on January 1, 2025, during his service in Manipur.
The state government’s request for new officers underscores the ongoing legal imperative. The letter to the MHA explicitly mentions the need for substitutes “to ensure continued supervision and investigation of cases related to incidents of violence, in compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.” This highlights the top court’s active monitoring of the probe into the violence that has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands since it began on May 3, 2023.
Ensuring Continuity in a Sensitive Investigation
The repatriation and the concurrent request for replacements indicate a focus on maintaining investigative momentum without disruption. The ethnic violence, triggered during a “tribal solidarity march” in the hill districts protesting the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status, remains a highly sensitive issue.
The MHA had earlier asked all states to nominate SP-rank officers for attachment to Manipur. With DIG Harendra Kumar Singh having completed more than two years in the state, the administration is now seeking a fresh team to bring renewed focus and oversight to the protracted legal process.
This development points to the long-term nature of the judicial and investigative processes surrounding the Manipur violence. The state’s appeal to the central government for suitable officers reflects the continued need for experienced hands to navigate the complex web of cases under the scrutiny of the nation’s highest court.
