Since 2016, Nagaland government has been requesting New Delhi to depute IPS officer with 30 years experience for state police’s top job
Kohima Bureau
Kohima, April 10 (EMN): Following the letter submitted by Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh seeking replacement of the incumbent Director General of Police Rupin Sharma, the latter has said it was up to the government to decide the best for the state and the people.
Sharma, a 1992 IPS cadre, told Eastern Mirror he has no intention of questioning the government’s decision. It was up to the people to judge whether he was qualified for Nagaland police’s top job, he added. Sharma agreed that his 26 years as an IPS officer falls short of the 30-years-criterion to be a DGP. Nagaland’s special status allows it to choose police officers with more than 28 years of experience as DGP.
Sharma informed that no Nagaland IPS cadre, at the moment, was qualified to hold the charge of DGP if said criterion is strictly implemented. It was informed that Sunil Acharya, a Nagaland IPS cadre of 1991 batch, is currently on central deputation.
The DGP recommended by the Patton is Lungriading, a 1990 batch of Assam-Meghalaya IPS cadre –two years senior to Sharma.
On Patton’s claim that Sharma does not possess the ‘requisite experience’ to be the DGP, Sharma said: “I am here in Nagaland and I am more experienced than any other officers here in the state.” Sharma added that he will continue to work for the people in whatever capacity he has been entrusted with.
Police records show that Sharma has served the state’s police dept in different capacities: ASP (PHQ) in 1995; SDPO of Niuland from August 19995 to October 1996; Addl SP of Dimapur from October 1997 to May 1998.
Sharma went on deputation at UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1998 to 1999 as Dy Regional Commander IPTF Mostar, and later on deputation to Ministry of External Affairs as under secretary (Consular), CPV Division, New Delhi from September 1999 to 2001, followed by SP (CBI) New Delhi from July 2001 to 20013.
He returned to Nagaland as SP (PHQ) from December 2003. He had also served as SP (Crime) from February 2004 to August 2004, SP (CID) from August 2004 to May 2005, Sr SP (CID) from May 2005 to April 2006 and as DIGP (CID) later part of April 2006.
He again went on deputation as deputy secretary cabinet secretariat (R&AW) for a period of four years in May 2006, followed by director cabinet secretariat for four years from May 2010 and as joint secretary Cabinet secretariat from May 2014.
On repatriation, he came back as ADGP from March 2015, followed by ADGP (L&R) and DG (Prison). He was given the charge of DGP Nagaland on November 24, 2017.
On the length of service, Sharma said it was a legal matter and therefore refused to comment.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that that government of Nagaland has requested the central government even in May 2016 when TR Zeliang was the chief minister for the services of Lungriading who was then being repatriated to his parent cadre after serving in Nagaland.
Since then, all the chief ministers – Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, TR Zeliang (again) and Neiphiu Rio – have written to the central government citing the shortage of IPS officers of Nagaland cadre; asking for deputation of officers from other cadres to be DGP as has been done before.
