Karnataka Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) Alok Mohan
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: Alok Mohan will continue as the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP), Karnataka, until May 21, the chief minister’s office stated on Tuesday.
Mohan was to retire on superannuation on Wednesday (April 30). However, the state government extended his tenure, complying with the Supreme Court directive that allows a mandatory two-year office for the state police chief irrespective of superannuation.
A native of Patna, Mohan is an IPS officer of the 1987 batch. He assumed office as state DG&IGP on May 22, 2023, succeeding Praveen Sood, who was appointed the director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
With Mohan's extension, speculation surrounding Karnataka's next police chief has subsided for now.
However, three senior IPS officers are said to be in contention for the top job once Mohan leaves.
Going by seniority, 1992-batch IPS officer Prashanth Kumar Thakur, currently the DGP of the Karnataka State Fire and Emergency Services, should to be appointed.
However, police sources believe that MA Saleem, DGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), is a tough competitor.
Saleem, a 1993-batch IPS officer and a traffic management expert, took charge as the CID chief in 2023 and handled several high-profile cases under his supervision. He is also known for embracing technology and introducing new tech to the CID.
The third name is K Ramachandra Rao, a 1994-batch IPS officer who headed the housing department. He is the stepfather of Kannada actress Ranya Rao, who was arrested in March for attempting to smuggle gold from Dubai.
The state government ordered an investigation against Rao to determine if he aided Ranya in smuggling. In the wake of this incident, he is unlikely to get the top job.
If Rao is left out, police sources believe that Pronab Mohanty, also a 1994-batch IP officer who was appointed the DGP for cybercrimes recently, will be considered.