IPS officer's untimely transfer raise eyebrows

The government on Wednesday transferred Nisha James, deputy commissioner of police (administration), Bengaluru, and posted her as Superintendent of Police, internal security division (ISD).

Many IPS officers and the police rank and file said her sudden transfer was the result of a pseudonymous complaint against her.

In Nisha’s place, the government has posted B M Laxmi Prasad, a 2014-batch IPS officer.

James, a 2013-batch IPS officer, was posted as DCP (administration) on January 2, 2020.

A senior police officer said the timing of her transfer was “demoralising.”

A few people posted in the police commissioner’s office, including officer superintendents (OS), first division assistants (FDAs) and second division assistants (SDAs), circulated a complaint written to M A Saleem, additional director general of police (administration), against James.

The complaint alleged harassment of staff and levelled wild allegations against her.

Saleem had told DH that no such complaint had been received at his office. James treated it as pseudonymous.

The transfer order was immediately followed by a movement order, directing James to get relieved of her DCP (administration) duties and take charge of her new role.

The same was directed to Prasad in the order. James didn’t leave her office until late Thursday evening.

During her tenure as DCP (administration), James ensured corruption-free postings of assistant sub-inspectors, head constables and police constables based on seniority.

The officers were allowed to choose the police station or section where they wished to work. This was against the earlier practice where transfers were ‘dictated by bribes and references’.

James ensured that low-ranking officers posted at a particular police station or the Central Crime Branch (CCB) for years were transferred.

The transparent postings left the clerical staff ‘with no extra income’. James was so scrupulous that she did not entertain the recommendations sent by the chief minister, the home minister and her own bosses.

James also did not renew the arms licences of citizens who had obtained them without valid reasons.

Many influential citizens had managed to get arms licences without any perceptible threat or necessity by taking help from senior police officers, including commissioners. Many of these people had complained to politicians against James.

The IPS officer also ensured transparency in all sections under her administration.

Whenever irregularities were found, she issued memos and withheld increments. Thus, she reportedly became a target for most of the clerical staff and policemen with vested interests. They all ganged up and complained against her.

When the government did not take action, they sent a copy of the complaint to mediapersons and ensured coverage.

Speaking to DH, many constables who received postings during James’s tenure said they did not have to pay anything.

Some officers, however, justified the IPS officer’s transfer, saying she had worked for almost three years in that position.