CHANDAN PRAKASH SINGH singh.chandan@thestatesman.net New Delhi, 9 July With the Delhi Police commissioner, Mr Neeraj Kumar, due to retire on…
CHANDAN PRAKASH SINGH
singh.chandan@thestatesman.net
New Delhi, 9 July
With the Delhi Police commissioner, Mr Neeraj Kumar, due to retire on 31 July, there is intense speculation on who his successor will be.
Amid hectic lobbying for the high-profile post, there is a strong buzz doing the rounds that Delhi may get its first woman police commissioner. This comes after the row over India&’s first IPS officer, Ms Kiran Bedi, being overlooked for the top post a few years ago.
Mr Neeraj Kumar has been one of the most talked about and controversial Delhi Police commissioners, given the rising crime graph and also because of the cracking of some sensational cases like the IPL match fixing scam. He was also widely known for his stringent orders to officials including prohibiting Station House Officers (SHOs) from visiting their houses once a week.
On 1 July 2012, Mr Kumar had succeeded Mr B K Gupta as Delhi Police chief when the bikers gang was running riot and chain snatching was at its peak. It was during Mr Kumar’s tenure that the horrific 16 December 2012 gangrape and the Gandhi Nagar rape of a minor took place when the police bore the brunt of public anger. However, the then home secretary, Mr R K Singh, had appreciated him for the speedy action in the gangrape case.
Home ministry sources said the special commissioner of police (administration), Mr B S Bassi, is among the front-runners to succeed Mr Kumar. Mr Bassi, a 1978 batch IPS officer, is the senior-most officer available to be promoted as police chief.
He has a good reputation as an officer.
However, if a woman officer is chosen to head the force, Ms Kanwaljeet Deol, a 1978 batch IPS officer who is currently posted with the National Human Right Commission, and Ms Vimla Mehra, director general (Tihar), a 1979 batch IPS officer, are strong contenders.
Ms Deol is the second senior most IPS officer after Mr Bassi. Being DG Tihar, Ms Mehra&’s tenure has been appreciated, making her a strong candidate, too, for the commissioner&’s post. However, she is slated to retire soon.
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