The government of Odisha lately mandated the transfer of IPS Ashish Kumar Singh and posted him as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Home Department. Officer Singh, a 2004 batch IPS officer, was last posted as the IG (Inspector General) of Police for the Chief Minister’s security.
On June 9th, the Election Commission of India (ECI) recommended disciplinary actions against Officer Singh for allegedly misrepresenting facts about his health after his health check-up by a six-member panel of AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. The ECI had written to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha to forward the report of the AIIMS Bhubarjeswar panel to the Chief Secretary for necessary action against the IPS officer.
On April 2nd, the ECI had written to the then Naveen Patnaik government to shift Officer Singh from the post of Inspector General (IG) of Central Range to a non-election-related posting, as the IG of the CM’s security, before he took leave for a month on health grounds. The fiasco had unfurled after the state BJP complained that the IPS officer had been working in favour of the BJD in polls despite being deputed to non-election duty.