Haryana Govt urged to clear ambiguity over incumbent Director-General of State Anti-Corruption Bureau

Published on: 30 Nov 2023 at 04:47 PM

Published by: The fact news

The Fact News Service

Chandigarh, November 30

Hemant Kumar, Advocate in Punjab and Haryana High Court has requested Haryana government to clear ambiguity over incumbent Director-General of State Anti-Corruption Bureau.

Kumar said that in a order issued by the Haryana Government in February this year, the name of the then Haryana State Vigilance Bureau was changed to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). At that time, Shatrujeet Kapoor, 1990 batch IPS of Haryana Cadre was posted as Director-General (DG) of ibid Bureau since Sep, 2021.

“Six months later on August 16, 2023, Kapoor was however appointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) (Head of Police Force – HOPF), Haryana for a minimum tenure of at least two years from the date of his assumption of charge and till further orders thereafter,” the Advocate pointed.

The Advocate pointed in the appointment order of Kapoor as Haryana DGP (HoPF) issued by the State Home Department on 16 Aug 2023, it was not mentioned therein that he would also hold the additional charge of DG, ACB. Even later onwards & till date, no formal order is available in public domain pertaining to State Govt delegating aforementioned additional charge of DG, ACB to DGP, Haryana.

“Even currently, on the official website of the Haryana Police, in the list of State Cadre IPS officers, Kapoor is being shown as DGP, Haryana and there is no mention of the additional charge of DG, ACB, However, on the official website of ACB, Haryana, Kapoor’s name is being shown as DG, ACB. Be that as it may, on 19 Oct 2023, 15 Inspector rank officials serving in ACB, Haryana were transferred vide an Order issued under the signature of Shatrujeet Kapoor who was mentioned therein as DG, ACB, Haryana which further substantiate the aforementioned fact,” said Hemant Kumar.

Amidst prevalence of this ambiguity, two months ago on 26 Sep 2023, Hemant wrote to the State Government for proactive public disclosure over if Shatrujeet Kapoor, apart from having principal charge as DGP (HoPF), Haryana is also DG, ACB, Haryana as an additional charge or as Link Officer. Since the Advocate didn’t receive any reply even after passage of two months, he has again raised the issue recently on Nov 21 by re-writing to the Haryana Government in this matter, the reply to which is currently keenly awaited.

The Advocate said that the system of Link Officer is prevalent in the Personnel Department of the State Government in respect of IAS/HCS officers especially those posted on higher and important posts and a comprehensive list pertaining to Link Officers is available in the official website of the Chief Secretary, Haryana.

Elaborating this system, Hemant explained that in the event of absence of IAS/HCS officers being on leave/training/tour/election duty or away for more than two days due to any other reason or in the event of vacancy due to retirement/transfer of officer, the work will be looked after by the respective Link Officers.

Hemant said that till date it is not officially clear whether the Link Officer system is also applicable in the State Home Department in respect of IPS officers or not, especially regarding important and sensitive posts like DG, ACB. The Advocate has appealed to the Haryana Government to issue proper public clarification in this regard. Officially, Haryana DGP (HoPF) Shatrujeet Kapoor can concurrently be DG, ACB only under two circumstances. Firstly, DGP, Haryana is the link officer of the post of DG, ACB or else Haryana DGP is formally given the additional charge of DG, ACB by the State Government.