Jharkhand’s Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta, one of the state’s most influential IPS officers, has resigned from his post, ending months of tension between the Hemant Soren government and the Union Home Ministry over his extended tenure.
Sources confirmed that Gupta submitted his resignation at the Chief Minister’s residence. Though no official statement has been issued, it is understood that the resignation has been accepted and he will continue until a new DGP is appointed.
The dispute began soon after Gupta’s retirement on April 30, 2025, when the state government granted him a two-year extension, citing administrative continuity. The Union Home Ministry objected, saying the move violated All India Services rules. Despite repeated letters from the Centre, the state refused to withdraw the order, arguing that its own amendment to the DGP appointment rules permitted such an extension.
The UPSC also declined to endorse the extension, calling it irregular. The issue soon turned political, with the BJP accusing the Soren government of defying constitutional norms. Opposition leader Babulal Marandi even approached the Supreme Court, but the court dismissed the plea, calling it politically motivated. Still, Gupta’s position weakened after the Centre excluded him from IPS cadre meetings.
A 1990-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, later allocated to Jharkhand, Gupta is known for his assertive policing style. He has served as SP of Garhwa, Giridih, and Hazaribagh; SSP Ranchi; and DIG Bokaro Range. He also headed the CID, Anti-Corruption Bureau, and Police Training Directorate and was awarded the President’s Gallantry Medal early in his career.
His record, however, includes controversies. In 2016, he faced allegations of influencing Rajya Sabha elections and was suspended in 2020. The Soren government reinstated him in 2022, appointing him acting DGP in July 2024 and confirming him as DGP in February 2025. He was briefly removed by the Election Commission during the 2024 polls before being reappointed after the government returned to power.
With Gupta’s exit, the process to select a new police chief has begun. Senior officers Prashant Singh (1992 batch) and M S Bhatia (1993 batch) are seen as leading contenders.
The development highlights the ongoing struggle between state autonomy and central oversight in administrative matters. For Chief Minister Hemant Soren, defending Gupta’s tenure was an assertion of state authority. For the Centre, it was a question of maintaining procedural integrity.