Punjab Government has appointed 1986-batch IPS officer Siddharth Chattopadhyaya as the officiating Director General of Police (DGP), replacing Iqbal Preet Singh Sahota — whose removal the state Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu has been demanding ever since his appointment on the top post.

In fact, ever since the change of guard in the state with Charanjit Singh Channi becoming the Chief Minister, Sidhu has been pushing Chattopadhyaya’s name for the top post.

The order to appoint Chattopadhyaya as the officiating DGP was issued on late Thursday night.

Chattopadhyaya would be holding this charge until a regular DGP is appointed out of a panel of three IPS officers shortlisted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which is set to hold a meeting for short-listing the panel of three officers from the State Government's list of 10 on December 21 in Delhi.

Along with holding the charge of the state police chief, Chattopadhyaya would continue to hold the charge of Vigilance Bureau Chief Director, and DGP PSPCL (Patiala).

Notably, 1988-batch IPS officer Sahota was appointed as the officiating DGP after Channi became the Chief Minister in September. Sahota was considered as Channi's choice for the top post.

Ever since, Sidhu has been demanding to replace Sahota — who had remained the head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the previous SAD-BJP government to probe the sacrilege incidents. In fact, Sidhu had resigned as the Punjab Congress chief seeking Sahota and APS Deol’s removal from the posts of the state DGP and state Advocate-General, respectively.

The State Government bowed down before Sidhu and replaced Deol as AG with DS Patwalia in November. Now, Sidhu once again succeeded in pushing his choice to the top post.

Chattopadhyaya, after his appointment, also assumed the additional charge of Director General of Police (Head of Police Force) on Friday.

After assuming the charge, the newly-appointed DGP held a meeting with the top brass of Punjab Police, and reviewed the poll preparations, besides issuing strict instructions to make the state drugs-free.

Chattopadhyaya said that besides maintaining law and order in view of the upcoming Punjab Assembly Elections 2022, he will focus on the fight against Drug Trafficking, Human Trafficking and on improving the Road Safety Environment in the state.

The President's Police Medal for Gallantry Awardee had served in various critical and sensitive capacities in the State Police during days of terrorism and on deputation at the Border Security Force (BSF).

Meanwhile, prior to the posting as DGP PSPCL, he had remained DGP Human Resource Development. He had also served as ADGP Policy and Rules, ADGP Provisioning, and Modernization and other important posts in the Punjab Police. He was also appointed as the head of sensitive Special Investigation Teams (SITs) by the Hon'ble Punjab and Haryana High Court.