Chandigarh: Before convening the empanelment committee meeting to shortlist three officers for the post of regular Director General of Police (DGP) of Punjab, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has asked the Punjab government to provide the 'present status of pending cases' against 1992-batch IPS officer Sharad Satya Chauhan, who is currently the director of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
Seniority and Pending Cases
Chauhan is the most senior among the 14 IPS officers who appear on the list sent by the state government to the UPSC on April 6. The commission sought details on Chauhan on May 15, just four days after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the Punjab Vigilance Bureau headquarters in Mohali on the night of May 11 in connection with an alleged bribery case. In that case, Chauhan's reader, Inspector O P Singh Rana, is one of the accused. While the CBI has arrested three suspects, Rana remains at large.
Chauhan's Response to CBI Action
After the CBI operation, Chauhan earlier told media persons that 'private people' were arrested in the alleged bribery case and assured that the Vigilance Bureau would 'fully cooperate with CBI's investigations and whatever action they are taking.'
UPSC Queries and Documentation
A source told The Times of India that while basic details of the pending cases against the officers were mentioned in the annexures sent to the UPSC along with the government list, the commission has sought to know the 'present status' and asked for 'supporting documents' related to cases or complaints against Chauhan. In another query relating to IPS officer Kuldeep Singh, also of the 1992 batch and on the panel of 14 sent by the government, the UPSC has sought to know why he has taken half-pay leave from February 23 to October 16. Singh is currently posted as Special DGP of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), and his superannuation date is December 31 this year. As per norms, any officer appointed DGP has a minimum tenure of two years, regardless of the retirement date.
Government's Response
After receiving the queries, the Punjab home department has written to the office of the Punjab DGP to provide the details sought by the UPSC.
About the Author: Navjeevan Gopal is a senior journalist based in Punjab with over two decades of experience, reporting on drugs, crime, gangsters, terror, and security issues. He is an assistant editor with The Times of India and previously worked with The Indian Express.
