A 1987-batch IPS officer Dinkar Gupta, was appointed Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) on Thursday, superseding his five seniors. Gupta, who was heading the State Intelligence Wing up-till now, would replace 1982-batch officer Suresh Arora.
Appointed DGP in 2015, Arora was on an extension after his retirement on September 30, 2018, but he expressed his unwillingness to continue at the post of the state police chief.
Gupta’s name has been cleared by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who also heads the State Home department, on Thursday morning, from among the panel of three officers, sent by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as per the new rules set by the Supreme Court.
The other two officers of the panel included two officers of 1987 batch, DGP (Administration) MK Tiwari and DGP (provisioning and IT) VK Bhawra.
With his elevation, Gupta has superseded 1984-batch Samant Kumar Goel who is currently on central deputation, DGP (Special Task Force on drugs) Mohd Mustafa (1985-batch, DGP (Law and Order) Hardeep Singh Dhillon (1985-batch), DGP (IVC) Jasminder Singh (1986-batch), and DGP (PSPCL) S Chattopadhayaya (1986-batch).
Notably, the UPSC on February 4 had prepared a three-member panel and recommended the names to the Punjab Government to appoint one of them as the next state police chief. Before that, a list of three IPS officers surfaced in which Gupta’s names was included along with that of Goel and Mustafa.
Sources said that the names of officers in the previous list were discussed during the UPSC meeting, which was attended by the then DGP Suresh Arora and Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, but the final list that was prepared included the names of three 1987-batch IPS officers.
A decorated officer, Gupta’s appointment at the top post has ruffled many feathers within the police department, with his senior Mustafa coming out in public to express his displeasure. Unhappy for being “ignored”, Mustafa has maintained that he would knock the door of the Apex Court to seek “justice”.
Mustafa, who was considered to be a strong contender for the DGP post, is the husband of Punjab Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana. Mustafa also enjoys close proximity with Capt Amarinder.
It is believed that Mustafa’s elevation as STF head in September last was made to compensate him for not appointing as the state police chief.
In his previous stint, Gupta was posted as DGP (Intelligence), which involved the direct supervision of Punjab State Intelligence Wing, State Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Organized Crime Control Unit (OCCU).
An experienced and distinguished officer, Gupta was empanelled on April 26, 2018, for appointment to Additional Director General level post at the Centre.
He did an eight-year stint on central deputation with the MHA, from June 2004 to July 2012, where he held many sensitive assignments, including Head of the Dignitary Protection Division of the MHA.
Gupta had served as Senior Superintendent of Police (District Police Chief) of Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur districts for more than seven years during the terrorist phase in Punjab. He also served as DIG (Jalandhar Range), DIG (Ludhiana Range), DIG (Counter-Intelligence), Punjab and DIG (Intelligence), Punjab till 2004.
DINKAR VOWS TO TACKLE TERROR, ENSURE CITIZEN SAFETY
Taking over the Punjab police baton, the new state police chief Dinkar Gupta on Thursday promised to provide a safe and secure environ to the citizens of the state, while listing counter-terrorism as the top priority for the force.
Dinkar, who formally took charge as DGP from his predecessor Suresh Arora at a simple ceremony at the Punjab Police headquarters, said that he would try to carry forward the commendable work done by Arora, in line with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh’s vision to make Punjab free from drugs and gangsters.
Pointing out that Punjab shares over 550 km of international border with Pakistan, Gupta said that the state police has to counter terrorism, tackle gangsters and drug menace, besides curtailing other crimes.
“A safe and secure Punjab has always been the priority of the force and this will continue to be our priority,” he said.
Declaring zero tolerance against drug abuse during his first meeting with officers, Gupta said that he would implement DAPO and Buddy programmes in letter and in spirit.
He also lauded the work being done by the Special Task Force of the state police in tackling the drug menace. “Be it the reduction of drug supply, enforcement of anti-drug laws or working for the de-addiction of drug addicts, both the STF and district police have done good work in the past two years,” he said.
On the Punjab police busting some terror modules in the past including the Pakistan's ISI-backed one with the arrest of a Patiala resident last November, Gupta said:”The Punjab police has always lived up to the challenge to defeat the nefarious designs of enemies.”
Appreciating the hard work of the police personnel, he said that Punjab Police was a brave force, which he was proud to lead.
Describing Arora as the best officer of Punjab Police, Gupta said that during his tenure, the state Police had cracked down on organised criminal gangs, neutralizing as many 51 gangs with the arrest of 255 gang members. Under Arora’s leadership, Punjab Police had busted 24 terrorist modules, arrested 115 terrorists, and recovered six AK47, AK56, or AK74 rifles, four other rifles and 65 revolvers or pistols, he added.