Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has given a clean chit to senior IPS officer Surinder Pal Singh (S.P.S.) Parmar, dropping all departmental charges against him in the driving licence case that had led to his suspension last year. The state has also ordered that the entire period of his suspension be treated as duty.
The decision follows the conclusion of a departmental inquiry, which found no evidence to substantiate the allegations levelled against the 1997-batch IPS officer.
Departmental Proceedings Closed
According to an order issued by the Punjab Home Department on Friday, the disciplinary proceedings initiated against Parmar under the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969, have been formally closed.
The order further states that the period during which Parmar remained under suspension will be counted as official duty, effectively restoring all associated service benefits.
The decision was approved by the Governor of Punjab after examining the inquiry report submitted by the investigating authority.
Read also: Punjab Govt Recommends 19 PPS Officers for IPS Promotion; High Court Told Proposal Sent to UPSC
Inquiry Finds No Evidence Against Parmar
The departmental inquiry was conducted by Special Director General of Police (Special DGP) Arpit Shukla, who was appointed as the inquiry officer in the matter.
After examining the available records and evidence, the inquiry concluded that the allegations against Parmar were not substantiated.
The report also observed that the Punjab Vigilance Bureau had acted in accordance with Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and found no material to establish any misconduct or dereliction of duty by the officer.
Based on these findings, the state government decided to withdraw all charges and close the disciplinary proceedings.
Background of the Case
S.P.S. Parmar was suspended in May 2025 while serving as the Chief Director of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
The suspension was linked to allegations of dereliction of duty in connection with a driving licence-related case being investigated by the Vigilance Bureau.
However, Parmar was reinstated in August 2025, pending the outcome of the departmental inquiry.
At present, he is serving as Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Punjab.
Suspension Period to Be Treated as Duty
One of the significant outcomes of the government’s decision is that Parmar’s suspension period will now be treated as duty for all official purposes.
Such an order generally ensures continuity of service, salary-related benefits, seniority, and other service entitlements available to the officer.
With the closure of the disciplinary proceedings, the matter now stands officially concluded from the state government’s side.
About Him
Mr Parmar is a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1997 batch belonging to the Punjab cadre. A State Police Service (SPS) promotee, he holds a BA, an M.Sc. in Industrial Economics, and an MBA in Marketing and Personnel Management. Over his distinguished career, he has served in pivotal leadership roles within the Punjab Police, including Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Mansa, Inspector General of Police (IGP) for the Ludhiana and Bathinda ranges, and Chief Director of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. Currently posted as the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) for Law & Order in Punjab, he was awarded the prestigious Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2014.
Following an internal inquiry into a 2025 driving licence case, the Punjab Government officially cleared him of all departmental charges, treating his brief suspension period fully as active duty.
