The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) on Thursday put an interim stay on the Karnataka Government’s September 12 order promoting two IPS officers of the 1995 batch, Umesh Kumar and Arun Chakravarthy J., to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) from Additional Director General of Police (ADGP).
The stay was granted by a division bench of CAT comprising S. Sujatha (Judicial Member) and Sanjiv Kumar (Administrative Member). The order came in response to a petition filed by Alok Kumar (IPS:1994), who is the senior-most ADGP in the state and has challenged the promotions of his juniors.
Alok Kumar questioned the proceedings of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) held on September 6, arguing that his candidature was overlooked despite being senior to both officers. He contended that the state government acted arbitrarily by clearing his juniors for elevation to the DGP rank.
This is not the first time Alok Kumar has approached the tribunal. In May, the CAT had stayed a state government notice initiating a fresh disciplinary inquiry against him over the alleged 2019 phone-tapping controversy and the leak of intercepted audio conversations. While a CAT bench delivered split verdicts on September 4 regarding the legality of the inquiry, the tribunal clarified on September 11 that the interim stay on proceedings against him would continue until a third member adjudicates the matter.
Alok Kumar maintains that the government cannot reopen a closed inquiry, especially since the CBI—which investigated the case—had filed ‘B’ reports in 2021 and 2024, stating that the allegations could not be substantiated. Despite this, the government interpreted the split verdict as a green signal and went ahead with promotions. Consequently, on September 12, Umesh Kumar was posted as DGP (Recruitment), while Arun Chakravarthy J. was elevated as DGP and continued as CMD of the Karnataka State Police Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation.
Following Thursday’s order, the CAT has issued notices to the state government and its secretary, along with emergent notices to Umesh Kumar and Arun Chakravarthy J. The matter has now been posted for the next hearing on October 23, 2025.
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