Jharkhand Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta has resigned from his post, sources confirmed on Tuesday. Although there is no official word on the issue, sources privy to the development confided that his resignation has reportedly been accepted by the state government.
Although the reason for Gupta’s resignation has not been made public, sources said that he tendered his resignation voluntarily in the wake of controversies arising due to his extension of service by the State Government and the Centre not accepting the move.
Meanwhile, the race to fill the top police post has already begun. IPS officers Prashant Singh of the 1992 batch, currently posted as DG (Headquarters), and MS Bhatia of the 1993 batch, serving as DG (Fire Services), are said to be the frontrunners for the post.
Gupta’s tenure as Jharkhand’s police chief remained controversial from the beginning. His appointment and subsequent extension were both mired in disputes.
The UPSC had reportedly not recognised his appointment as the official DGP of the state. Initially appointed as in-charge DGP ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, he was later removed following Election Commission orders, only to be reinstated after the polls.
A 1990-batch IPS officer, Anurag Gupta earned a reputation as a dynamic and efficient police officer, though controversies often shadowed his career.
The resignation has also triggered political reactions across the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) welcomed Gupta’s decision, calling it a “step in the right direction.”
The party had been opposing his extension after retirement, repeatedly questioning the state government’s move to retain him in service despite the Union Home Ministry’s refusal to grant permission for the extension.
BJP leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi, had challenged Gupta’s appointment in the Jharkhand High Court and even approached the Supreme Court.
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