Amidst a recent development, the Home Department of the Government of Odisha inquired the state Director General of Police (DGP), Mr. Arun Kumar Sarangi (1990-batch IPS officer), regarding the details of the leave availed by IPS Ashish Kumar Singh (2010 batch). It is pertinent to mention that Officer Singh had availed leave, citing health reasons, from May 4th, but the Home Department hadn’t been briefed about whether he had resumed his charge or his leave was extended.
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.
