Ranchi: Jharkhand Director General of Police (DGP) Anurag Gupta, (1989-batch Jharkhand cadre IPS officer), has not received his salary for the month of May, amid an ongoing standoff between the Central and State Governments regarding the legality of his continued service. The issue stems from conflicting interpretations of his retirement date, with the Union Home Ministry declaring his tenure ended on April 30, 2025, while the State Government insists on his continuation.
No Bill Raised by DDO, Treasury Silent
According to official sources, the DGP Office’s Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) has not submitted the salary bill for May to the Project Bhawan Treasury. In turn, the treasury has also not processed any payment for DGP Gupta’s May salary. The Principal Accountant General’s office has already updated the system to reflect Anurag Gupta’s service as ended on April 30, showing zero pay slip from May 1 onward.
This has left a senior-most police officer of the state without a salary for May, throwing up questions about administrative coordination and legal clarity.
Centre Declares Retirement, State Resists
The roots of this standoff trace back to an official letter dated April 22 from the Union Home Ministry to the Jharkhand Chief Secretary, stating that 1990-batch IPS officer Anurag Gupta’s retirement date falls on April 30, 2025. The ministry directed the state to relieve him of duty accordingly.
However, the Jharkhand Government has so far refused to act on the Centre’s directive, citing certain rules and provisions under which it claims the DGP can be retained. As a result, a series of letters and counter-communications have been exchanged between the Centre and the State.
Centre Alleges Constitutional Violation
In its third communication to the state on this matter, the Union Home Ministry has reiterated its stance, branding the continuation of Anurag Gupta in office as “unconstitutional” and in violation of Supreme Court guidelines regarding police appointments. The Centre has also stated that the extension of service is not only irregular but directly contravenes national laws governing civil services and police leadership tenure.
What’s at Stake
This issue has turned into more than just a salary dispute. It underscores a larger constitutional and administrative face-off between the State and the Centre over service rules, control over All India Services like the IPS, and adherence to apex court rulings.
For DGP Anurag Gupta, the absence of salary is only a symptom of a larger institutional uncertainty—a rare situation for a serving top police official in a state.
