"Someone like Rakesh Asthana to head police force of Delhi", says Union govt to SC

|HT|

There was a “compelling need” to have someone like Rakesh Asthana head the police force of Delhi, taking into account the national capital’s “extremely challenging situations” of public order, policing issues, and their implications on national security, the Union government told the Supreme Court while justifying the appointment of the 1984-batch IPS officer as the Delhi Police commissioner. In an affidavit in response to a clutch of petitions challenging Asthana’s appointment on July 27, the Centre maintained that he was picked “to provide effective policing on the recent law and order situation which arose in the National Capital Territory of Delhi” and that he was given both inter-cadre deputation as well as extension of service “in public interest”.

It sought that the petitions challenging the appointment be dismissed. Both his transfer and service extension have been challenged in court.

“It was felt that requisite experience of working and supervising the central investigating agency/para-military force and police force of a large State having diverse political and law and order problem was lacking in the present pool of available officers and hence in public interest, a decision was made by the central government to have an officer who had experience in all the above fields to supervise Delhi Police force,” stated the affidavit, filed through the home ministry.

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