Ranchi: In a major development that ends months of controversy, Jharkhand’s Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta, a 1990-batch IPS officer, has reportedly resigned from his post, nearly seven months after his official retirement. Though an official announcement is awaited, sources within the Jharkhand Police Headquarters have confirmed that his resignation has been accepted.
Centre-State Showdown Over Extension
Anurag Gupta’s tenure as DGP had been mired in controversy since his appointment. The issue intensified after the Hemant Soren-led state government decided to retain him even after his retirement on April 30, 2025.
The Central Government had outrightly rejected the state’s decision to extend his service, terming it a violation of established norms. The Union Home Ministry even sent a letter to the Chief Minister, asserting that the move to retain Gupta post-retirement was “incorrect and beyond authority.”
Gupta was initially appointed DGP on February 3, 2025, through a state notification invoking Rule 10(1) of the Selection and Appointment Rules 2025 of the Jharkhand Police. However, the Centre maintained that these rules could not override UPSC-based selection procedures, as mandated by the Supreme Court’s Prakash Singh judgment (2006).
A Tug of War Between Centre and State
The matter escalated into a constitutional and administrative standoff between the Union Home Ministry and the Jharkhand government. Despite the Centre’s clear directive for Gupta’s retirement, the JMM-led state government retained him in service — a move widely criticized by opposition parties and legal experts.
In May 2025, reports indicated that Gupta continued as DGP in defiance of the Centre’s retirement order, reflecting deep friction between Delhi and Ranchi over jurisdiction and administrative authority.
Opposition’s PIL and Allegations of Constitutional Violation
Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Jharkhand High Court, calling Gupta’s appointment unconstitutional and a violation of Supreme Court directives.
Marandi argued that the Jharkhand government framed a new rule in 2025 instead of enacting a law, attempting to implement it retrospectively to justify Gupta’s appointment.
He alleged that the move was an attempt to politically misuse the police administration, demanding both a CBI probe and suo motu intervention by the Jharkhand High Court.
Supreme Court Declines Contempt Plea
In August 2025, the Supreme Court of India refused to entertain a contempt petition filed against Anurag Gupta’s appointment.
A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran, and Justice NV Anjaria observed that the court’s contempt jurisdiction cannot be used for political purposes. The petitioners, including Marandi, were directed to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) for service-related grievances.
A Controversial Career: From Suspension to Top Post
Anurag Gupta’s police career has been marked by both commendations and controversies.
Originally from Punjab, Gupta holds a B.E. in Electrical Engineering, joining the Indian Police Service (Jharkhand Cadre, 1990 batch) after clearing the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
He has served as SP in Garhwa, Giridih, and Hazaribagh, SSP Ranchi, DIG Bokaro Range, and later as ADG, Special Branch, and DG, CID.
His team is credited with major cybercrime crackdowns and several high-profile arrests.
However, his career also faced turbulence. In 2020, Gupta was suspended for nearly two years by the Hemant Soren government over allegations of attempting to influence Congress MLA Nirmala Devi during the 2016 Rajya Sabha elections. He was accused of trying to lure votes for a BJP candidate and threatening her husband, ex-minister Yogendra Sao. His suspension was lifted in April 2022.
Resignation Ends a Tumultuous Chapter
Gupta’s resignation marks the end of a seven-month-long impasse and one of the most contentious chapters in Jharkhand’s police administration.
While his supporters cite administrative efficiency and political targeting, critics view his retention as a blatant disregard of constitutional norms and Supreme Court-mandated procedures.
The Hemant Soren government has not yet commented officially on his exit, while the Opposition has hailed it as a “victory of constitutional governance.”
Read Also: Centre-State Standoff: Jharkhand Defies MHA Order, Retains Anurag Gupta as DGP – What Lies Ahead?
