In a significant development, Meghalaya Director General of Police (DGP) Swaraj Bir Singh submitted his resignation on Monday.
The DGP submitted his resignation to Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma over the proposed appointment of BJP-linked former police officer, Kulbir Krishan as “security advisor” to the state government.
Singh, who the Sangma government gave an extension of service as DGP in April, is learnt to have refused to work with Krishan, and not even meet him, Business Standard reported.
According to the newspaper, Krishan is regarded in police circles as “controversial”. In the early 2000s, then Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief, Shyamal Datta, posted him out of the bureau over allegations relating to his personal life. Later, abortive attempts to appoint Krishan IB chief floundered after resistance from the organisation.
In 2013, when Krishan was DGP Meghalaya, the Election Commission ordered him moved out before elections.
In contrast, Singh is well respected in the service and is regarded as having performed creditably as DGP since his appointment in December 2016. Sangma has not accepted his resignation and urged him to continue.
Singh, a 1986 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, was appointed as Meghalaya’s Police chief on March 26, 2017.
