Atul Verma new DGP, Himachal's Sukhvinder Sukhu govt disregards seniority

Pratibha Chauhan

Shimla, May 1

A 1991-batch IPS officer, Atul Verma, has been appointed as the new Director General of Police (DGP) of Himachal Pradesh following the retirement of Sanjay Kundu.

The Congress regime chose not to honour seniority and appointed Verma, who was fourth on the seniority list, as the DGP. There were three IPS officers senior to him. Kundu, a 1989-batch IPS officer, had assumed charge in June 2020 and retired after putting in 35 years of service yesterday.

’91-batch IPS officer from Jharkhand

• A 1991-batch officer, Verma hails from Jharkhand and has an MBBS degree
• He had returned from central deputation to Himachal Pradesh in Nov 2023

The senior-most officer, Tapan Deka, a 1989-batch IPS officer, is serving as the Director, Intelligence Bureau, and had declined to assume the office of the DGP. However, two other IPS officers senior to Verma were overlooked by the Sukhu regime while making the appointment of the DGP. SR Ojha, a 1989-batch officer serving as the DGP (Prisons) in the state, and Shyam Bhagat Negi, a 1990-batch officer on central deputation and serving as a Special Secretary, have been superseded by Verma.

A panel of three senior-most IPS officers had been sent to the Centre for selection of the new DGP but with Deka declining to return to the state to head the police force, Verma’s name was automatically included in the panel.

Verma formally assumed charge today. He hails from Jharkhand and has an MBBS degree. He had returned from central deputation to Himachal in November 2023.