3 IPS officers of Uttar Pradesh cadre forced to retire as MHA finds them ‘unsuitable’ for job

The officers forced to retire are Amitabh Thakur (1993 batch Inspector General), Rajesh Krishna (2002 batch DIG) and Rakesh Shankar (2005 batch SP).

IPS officer Amitabh Thakur | Twitter | @Amitabhthakur

Lucknow/ New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs has given three IPS officers of the Uttar Pradesh cadre premature retirement in “public interest” after their services were found to be “unsuitable to continue working as a public servant”.

The orders dated 17 March were issued under Rule 16 (3) of All India Services (DCRB) Rules, 1958, upon request by the UP administration.

The officers — Amitabh Thakur (1993 batch Inspector General), Rajesh Krishna (2002 batch DIG) and Rakesh Shanker (2005 batch SP) — were removed after “a thorough screening of their past records”, officials told ThePrint.

While Thakur is an IPS officer, both Krishna and Shankar were promoted to the IPS from the Provincial Police Service.

Thakur was to retire in June 2028, Krishna in 2023 and Shanker in 2024.

A source in the home ministry said, “The removal was only approved by us. The request for this was sent by the state administration after the services of these officers were not found to be up to the mark. After screening of last records of these officers, the decision was taken and approval sent by the ministry.

“We found a lot of complaints against the officers, including some disciplinary issues, based on which the removal was approved,” the source said.

An official in the UP home department told ThePrint that several departmental inquiries against the three officers are being conducted.

Another source in the UP administration said, “neither the government nor other top officials are in support of them. Their equations with them are also one reason behind this compulsory retirement”.

‘Seeking legal options’

Inspector General Thakur, currently posted as Joint Director (Civil Defence), Tuesday announced his retirement on Twitter.

"अमिताभ ठाकुर को लोकहित में सेवा में बनाये रखे जाने के उपयुक्त न पाते हुए लोकहित में तात्कालिक प्रभाव से सेवा पूर्ण होने से पूर्व सेवानिवृत किये जाने का निर्णय लिया गया है." pic.twitter.com/nkPFTBIuvk

— AmitabhThakur (@Amitabhthakur) March 23, 2021

 

Speaking to ThePrint he said he was not shocked to receive this document.

“I had this idea. On 4 December 2019, I had written a letter to the Government of India and the state government about how some top officials here are trying to make me ‘deadwood’. So that they can send my case for compulsory retirement,” he said.

Thakur said that he will move court against the order.

“I wanted transparency and accountability in the department that is why some officials do not want me to work here. Now I am seeking legal options to challenge this order,” he said.

ThePrint reached Krishna and Shanker via phone calls for a comment but did not receive any response till the publishing of this report.

Controversies of the past

Thakur had run-ins with both the current BJP government and previous Samajwadi Party governments in the state.

He was suspended on 13 July 2015 after he had accused Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav of threatening him. He had made public an audio recording in which Yadav had allegedly threatened him.

Rajesh Krishna was under the scanner in a police recruitment scam which took place during his stint as Additional Superintendent of Police in Azamgarh in 2006. Krishna worked as commandant in Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) Barabanki.

Rakesh Shanker, currently posted in the DGP office as DIG establishment, had come under the scanner in connection with Deoria shelter home sex scandal in 2018.

(Edited by Neha Mahajan)