New Delhi (04.01.2021): Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh is seen to have tacitly admitted that the 1985 batch IPS officer Mohammed Mustafa, who was sidelined for the post of state DGP, is worth three DG rank officers.
Mustafa is the most decorated IPS officer in the country with five gallantry awards to his credit.
He is scheduled to retire on February 28, 2021.
The left-handed compliment from Captain was reflected in his promotion of three ADGP rank officers to DG rank last week to fill the void to be created by Mustafa's departure.
Among the promoted officers, two are from1989 batch and one from the 1991 batch - Sanjeev Kalra, Parag Jain, and Barjinder Kumar Uppal respectively.
The addition of three DG rank officers has swelled the total DG rank officers to 11 in the state, making the state police possibly the most top-heavy in the country. In fact, the state police have always been top-heavy under Captain Singh.
It is pointed out that, since Jain is currently on Central deputation and working in the cabinet secretariat, he may be entitled only to notional benefits; the actual benefits of promotion would accrue to him when he returns to the state.
Kalra has been serving as ADGP railways at Patiala and Uppal has been functioning as state vigilance bureau boss.
(By M K Shukla & Rakesh Ranjan)
