The state government on Thursday began the process of appointing the next Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra.
The move comes after the Bombay High Court pulled up the Maharashtra government last week for “favoring” acting DGP Sanjay Pandey and asked it to take a decision with regard to the DGP’s post by Monday, February 21.
Sources in the government confirmed to the The Indian Express that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil met on Thursday evening and an announcement in the regard is expected over the next couple of days.
Sources also said that since the appointment has to be from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) panel of three officers, the leaders will consider one of the candidates recommended by the panel earlier. These include Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) chief Rajnish Seth and Director General of Civil Defense K Venkatesham. Sources, though, added that Venkatesham has less than three months of service left with his retirement due in May.
Meanwhile, the UPSC also turned down the state’s request for a review and its plea for inclusion of Pandey in the panel. In a fresh letter to the state government, it is learn that the UPSC has communicated that there is no scope for review and that the state has to stick to Prakash Singh case judgment in the matter.
A top official said, “Based on the legal advice received by the CM after the High Court’s observations and advice by top bureaucrats, a decision was taken to not back Pandey as acting DGP anymore and look for his replacement.”
During its previous hearing on the matter on Thursday, the Bombay HC said the state government has gone out of its way to upgrade Pandey’s gradings in the annual confidential report (ACR), adding that “such an officer should never be considered for the post of DGP”.
After the court’s observations, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni said the state government is prepared to reconsider its position on appointment of “permanent” DGP and sought two weeks’ time for the same, which the HC accepted.
The bench had observed that a decision must be taken (on UPSC recommendation) on the next date of hearing (on February 21), adding “If need arises, we will deliver the judgment.”
On April 10 last year, Maharashtra government appointed Pandey as the state DGP and asked him to oversee probe against former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. A proposal to ratify the DG’s appointment was sent to the UPSC on March 18 and later, UPSC sought a lot of details at various intervals. Ultimately, Pandey’s name was not included in the three names recommended to the state government.
,