6 IPS transferred in Gujarat, 5 from Ahmedabad; more likely

Six IPS officers from Gujarat, five from Ahmedabad city alone, have been transferred ahead of assembly elections. There are indications that more transfers including that of in-charge director general of police (DGP) Chitranjan Singh are likely in the near future. 

However, commenting on the reshuffles, a retired IPS officer said on condition of anonymity, that this is a routine pre-poll exercise followed by every chief minister to have officers who share a good rapport with the state administration in vital positions.

The most important transfer is that of SM Khatri, the 1999 batch IPS officer who holds the non-policing post of deputy commissioner of police (DCP, traffic) and will now assume charge as deputy commissioner of police (zone 5).

“There are 6 police stations under zone 5. Even the Maninagar constituency of chief minister Narendra Modi falls in this zone,” the retired cop said. DH Parmar, a 2009 batch officer who is presently Senapati, State Reserve Police (SRP), Group-4 in Dahod, will replace Khatri as DCP (Traffic).  

The only IPS officer transferred from outside the city is Archana Shivhare, district superintendent of police (DSP), Gandhinagar. A 2002 batch officer, Shivhare was extremely effective during her tenure in Gandhinagar and has been moved to police headquarters Surat city.

She will be replaced by Sharad Singhal, a 2006 batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer, who is presently DCP (zone 2).

The present DCP (zone 5), Parikshita Rathod, will be shifted to the State Intelligence Bureau in Gandhinagar to make way for Khatri. ML Ninama will replace Singhal as DCP (zone 2) and relinquish his present post as Senapati, SRP, Group 3, in Banaskantha.

As this round was focused only on Ahmedabad city, IPS officers are expecting another round of transfers which would also include additional DGPs (ADGPs).  “Chitranjan Singh may hold charge only as ADGP of anti-corruption bureau,” a source said.