Ex-DGP Viresh Kumar Bhawra moves tribunal challenging Gaurav Yadav’s appointment
In January 2022, Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government appointed VK Bhawra, a 1987-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, as the state’s new director general of police (DGP)
Former director general of police (DGP) Viresh Kumar Bhawra has moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) challenging the appointment of current Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav by the state government. Sources said that Bhawra has taken a plea that, as per UPSC guidelines, he is the deserving candidate. “The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had sent a panel of three names to the state government, including former DGP Dinkar Gupta, Bhawra and Prabodh Kumar, for the top police post in the state,” the official sources said.
In January 2022, Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government appointed VK Bhawra, a 1987-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, as the state’s new director general of police (DGP). He took over from acting DGP Sidharth Chattopadhyaya on January 8, 2022, who was facing scrutiny following the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit last year. Bhawra’s term was for a minimum of two years from the date of assuming charge of the office. But he was removed as the DGP last year, and 1992-batch IPS officer Gaurav Yadav was given an additional charge as DGP. The case has been listed for hearing on Monday at CAT, Chandigarh.
