HYDERABAD: The AP government is unlikely to move in the matter of appointing the next director-general of police (DGP) until the first week of June even as the race to bag the top post is turning murky.Highly placed sources in the government told Express that the government is not in a position to take any call until the High Court hears its petition against the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which struck down the appointment of K Aravinda Rao as the DGP.In its order of April 27, CAT wanted the government to send a panel of names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) within two weeks of the judgment to enable the commission make a recommendation well in time before Aravinda Rao retires at the end of June. While setting aside Aravinda Rao’s appointment, CAT directed the government to appoint a new DGP by June 9.“The High Court has not okayed or set aside the CAT order. Therefore, as of now, the post is not vacant. Hence, we are not in a position to write a letter till clarity emerges,” a senior official said. Though the government and Aravinda Rao knocked on the doors of the High Court soon after the CAT judgment, the matter has been posted for June 6.Contrary to what has been laid down by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh case, DGPs were being appointed depending on the choice of the chief minister of the day. Aravinda Rao’s seniors -- K R Nandan, P Gautam Kumar (of the 1975 batch of IPS), A Sivasankar and Umesh Kumar (1977) -- were bypassed when Aravinda Rao was picked for the post on Sept. 1 last year. One of them, Gautam Kumar, approached the CAT. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, however, is reportedly of the view that the government should follow the CAT orders.This means a panel of six names would be sent to the UPSC. Such a step means that the government would give away the freedom it has hithero enjoyed in regard to the DGP’s appointment.The tribunal had ordered that the UPSC Secretary form a panel of three officers and shortlist three names from the list of six, based on their length of service, record of service and range of experience for heading the police force. Senior IPS officer V Dinesh Reddy, presently heading Vigilance and Enforcement, was one of the contenders for the post until the CAT order. If the guidelines are followed, it effectively puts paid to his hopes of inclusion in the panel of six as he was not a DG rank officer on or before Sept. 1, the day when Aravinda Rao took charge as DGP. Dinesh Reddy was elevated to the DG rank only on Nov. 1, 2010 while his batchmates -- A Sivasankar, Umesh Kumar and Alok Srivastava (since retired) -- were already in that DG rank on that date.Indicative of how murky the affair has become, a petition has been moved in the High Court against Umesh Kumar, DG of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, who would be in the reckoning if the CAT rules were adhered to.Serious charges have been levelled against him and his supporters see a senior officer’s hand behind it.
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