Jaipur: In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Rajasthan government has removed the Superintendents of Police (SPs) of Jhunjhunu and Hanumangarh, placing both officers on Awaiting Posting Orders (APO). The Personnel Department issued the orders on Tuesday, affecting 2011-batch IPS officers Sharad Chaudhary (Jhunjhunu SP) and Arshad Ali (Hanumangarh SP).
Notably, no replacements have been appointed for either district as of now.
Both Chaudhary and Ali were promoted to the rank of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in January but continued to serve as SPs. Their sudden APO status has sparked discussions in political and administrative circles, with reports citing multiple complaints from both districts as a possible reason behind the move.
Background of Officers
Mr Chaudhary, a native of Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has held key positions in Bharatpur, Dholpur, Udaipur, and Ajmer. He has served as ASP in Bhilwara, Sawai Madhopur, Sikar, and Ajmer, and as SP in Barmer and Kota. Prior to his current posting, he was the DCP in Jodhpur.
Mr Ali, who has also been promoted to DIG, has held roles including DCP Crime and SP of Salumbhar in Jaipur. He was most recently serving as SP Hanumangarh before being APOed.
More DIGs Still Serving as SPs
Chaudhary and Ali were among 10 recently promoted DIG-rank officers who continued in their SP roles. With their removal, eight DIGs remain in SP positions across Rajasthan. These include:
- IPS Anand Sharma
- Gaurav Yadav
- Bhuvan Bhushan Yadav
- Prahlad Singh Krishnaiya
- Rajan Dushyant
- Shankar Dutt Sharma
- Ram Murti Joshi
- Alok Srivastava
Among them, IPS Prahlad Krishnaiya, a native of Krishnaiya Ka Bas in Rajasthan, has also been promoted to DIG and has served as SP in several districts. His promotion is being described as a “New Year gift” from the state government.
The decision to APO two senior officers has triggered speculation over a possible larger reshuffle or disciplinary review within the Rajasthan Police hierarchy.
What Does APO Mean?
An order to place an officer or employee on APO means they are required to report for attendance but are not assigned any specific duties or post. This status is also referred to as “awaiting orders” or “awaiting posting. APO stands for “Awaiting Posting Orders.” When an officer is placed on APO status, it means they have been relieved from their current position but have not yet been assigned a new posting. Although it is an administrative term, being placed on APO often sparks speculation, especially in high-profile cases, as it may be linked to disciplinary concerns, administrative reshuffles, or political decisions.
