In an unusual administrative development amid the ongoing election process, a directive issued by Tamil Nadu’s Director General of Police (Head of Police Force) Sandeep Rai Rathore (IPS:1992:TN) assigning additional charge of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to IPS officer Sandeep Mittal (IPS:1995:TN) was effectively set aside within hours by the newly appointed Home Secretary K Manivasan (IAS:1993:TN).
Rathore, who was appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 2, had asked Mittal—recently posted as DGP (Armed Police)—to also hold full additional charge as DVAC chief until further orders. The order instructed Mittal to assume charge the same day and submit a compliance report.
However, soon after assuming office, Home Secretary Manivasan issued a separate communication naming A T Durai Kumar (IPS:2004:TN), an Inspector General of Police in DVAC, as Director (in-charge) of the agency. His order, based on the ECI’s latest modification, effectively nullified the earlier directive issued by the DGP.
The sequence of orders followed a series of rapid changes initiated by the ECI. The Commission had first appointed Rathore as the State police chief and posted Mittal in place of the outgoing DVAC head. Subsequently, in a revised order, Mittal was retained as DGP (Armed Police) without DVAC responsibilities. The ECI also replaced the State Home Secretary, appointing Manivasan in place of Dheeraj Kumar.
The episode has drawn attention within administrative circles, as orders relating to transfers and postings during elections are typically routed through the Home Department, raising questions about procedural consistency.
The DVAC post has gained significance in recent weeks due to ongoing investigations and legal developments, including a case linked to alleged irregularities in recruitment in the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department. The matter is currently under judicial scrutiny following action by central agencies.
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