The Uttar Pradesh government, on Friday, appointed Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Raj Kumar Vishwakarma as part-time director general of police (DGP) in the state.
Soon after taking charge, Vishwakarma observed that eradication of mafias, zero tolerance towards crime, techno centric policing and serving the citizens with compassion shall be his top most priorities. He said his priority was also to ensure peaceful urban local bodies polls.
The 1988 batch IPS officer has been given the additional charge of DGP till the time a permanent appointment is made for the post of DGP.
Vishwakarma, who would retire in May this year, took charge from DS Chauhan, who retired from services on Friday. Chauhan, however, was given DG rank pay scale on the day of his retirement which would now benefit him financially as he will get an increased pension.
Sources said that the government could also appoint him as security advisor.
The sources said that Vishwakarma was made officiating DG as he could not be made the state police head as according to the rules, an officer with less than six months of his service left cannot be included in the panel for three top officers to be made DGP.
Notably, the announcement comes just two months ahead of Vishwakarma's retirement, which is slated to take place in May 2023. He is the second senior-most IPS officer after Mukul Goyal.
Meanwhile, the state government also made some changes in the postings of senior IPS officers. ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, who was elevated to special DG rank on Thursday, was given additional charge of ADG (Economic Offences Wing) while DG (CB CID) Vijay Kumar was given additional charge of DG (Vigilance Establishment).
DG (UP Power Corporation Vigilance) SN Sabat has been posted as DG (Prison) in place of Anand Kumar, who has been shifted as DG (Cooperative).
ADG (Crime) MK Bashal, who has also been elevated to special DG rank, has been posted as special DG, UP Power Corporation Vigilance.
The government did not post anyone as DG (Intelligence), the charge so far looked after by DS Chauhan before his retirement.
