UPSC asks Haryana govt for status of FIR against ex-DGP Shatrujeet Kapur

The appointment process for a new Haryana DGP has taken a new turn with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) seeking the status of the first information report (FIR) registered by Chandigarh Police, which names former DGP Shatrujeet Kapur (IPS:1990:HR) as an accused.

The UPSC has done it because it has to schedule the meeting of the empanelment committee to select a panel of three IPS officers for appointment as the new Haryana DGP.

The Haryana govt had sent a panel of five IPS officers to the UPSC on Dec 16, for shortlisting three officers for the appointment of a new chief of the state police. The panel included the name of IPS officer Shatrujeet Kapur as well. Kapur was serving as the DGP when he was asked to proceed on leave on October 14, following the allegation of his involvement in the suicide of a fellow IPS officer, Y Puran Kumar (IPS:2001:HR). He was later divested of charge of the DGP on Dec 14 after returning from leave.  

Besides, the UPSC has also sought to know about the pay scale of the former DGP Kapur, who was in level 17 of the pay matrix by virtue of being the head of the police force (HoPF).

The state government’s proposal sent to the UPSC on December 16 contained the records of five IPS officers — Shatrujeet Kapur (1990 batch), SK Jain (1991 batch), Ajay Singhal (1992 batch), Alok Mittal and Arshinder Chawla (both of 1993 batch).

Besides Kapur’s case, the UPSC has also sought the entire service record of the 1991 batch IPS officer, SK Jain. Jain is unlikely to find a place in the panel of three IPS officers because he fails to meet the “range of experience criteria required for heading the police force.”

Now a precarious situation has arisen as IPS officer OP Singh, who has been officiating as DGP, retires on December 31, and Kapur, who was serving as DGP was divested of the charge on Dec 14, to pave the way for the state govt to send its panel of officers to the UPSC afresh.

The Chandigarh Police had registered an FIR for abetment to suicide and under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on the basis of the suicide note of Haryana IPS officer, Y Puran Kumar.

According to the government sources, the Chandigarh police have not submitted a chargesheet in the court, and an FIR is not a bar for being shortlisted in the panel of three officers.