New DG&IGP: George meets senior cops

Home Minister K J George on Tuesday held a key meeting with senior IPS and other top-ranking officers to decide on identifying an able officer for the post of Director General and Inspector General of Police, after the superannuation of the incumbent Lalrokhuma Pachuau by February-end.

Sources said the government was in favour of appointing the 1981-batch Karnataka cadre IPS officer Rupak Kumar Dutta to the post. Dutta currently heads the CBI probe into the 2G Spectrum scam.

The home minister was not  available for comment.

If appointed, Dutta will be the DG&IGP for about two years and seven months.

Two other ADGPs in the race for the post are Sushant Mahapatra and Om Prakash.
Dutta’s selection was imminent as the State government had contacted him recently informing him about its decision. A representative from the government requested him to accept the offer as the government was not in favour of Mahapatra. However, Dutta had bought time as he was heading a sensitive case as directed by the Supreme Court. He also pointed out that he would have to seek the permission of the top court in this regard.

Dutta told the State representative that opting out of the 2G Spectrum scam might be interpreted variously.

He said he was keen on accepting the offer if all went well vis-a-vis the change of guard in the investigation of the 2G Spectrum case, said the sources.

Senior IPS officer Hemanth Nimbalkar had filed a criminal complaint against Dutta a few years ago – when the latter was ADGP-Lokayukta – after his properties were raided by the Lokayukta sleuths in connection with disproportionate assets.

Interestingly, the CID, which was directed to look into the matter, filed a ‘B’ report indicating the closure of the case. This is being viewed in police circles as a move by the State government to facilitate Dutta to succeed Pachuau, the sources said.