On the directive of ECI, the Odisha government removes six IPS and two IAS personnel

Six IPS and two IAS officials were removed by the Odisha government on Friday in accordance with directives from the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Sanjay Kumar Kaushal, an officer from the 2003 batch and IG Vigilance, was assigned as the new Central Range IG in lieu of Ashish Kumar Singh, an IG-rank officer. Singh was appointed CM’s security and IG. A notice from the Home department said, “Kaushal has to join his new assignment immediately without availing joining time.” Umashankar Dash, DIG Special Intelligence Wing (SIW), was assigned to Angul SP. He took over for Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra, the 2012 batch officer.

In place of Kanwar Vishal Singh, another officer, Prakash R, a DIG in charge of Vigilance, was moved and assigned as the DCP of Cuttack. Similarly, Mitrabhanu Mahapatra was replaced as Rourkela SP by Brijesh Kumar Rai, a 2009 batch officer and DIG Intelligence in-charge of the security wing.

Mahapatra, Singh, and Mishra have been assigned as additional SRC, DIG SIW, and Vigilance SP, respectively. Saravana Vivek M. of Berhampur SP became the Vigilance SP, while Khurda SP Jugal Kishor Kumar Banoth was moved and appointed as AIG, State Police Headquarters.

The General Administration department named Anupam Saha as the new collector of Jagatsinghpur and Arindam Dakua as the new collector of Cuttack in a notice that was released that day. Vineet Bhardwaj and Parul Patwari were replaced by Dakua and Saha, respectively. Dakua, an officer from the 2011 batch, was holding the dual roles of director and additional secretary for Drinking Water and Sanitation, as well as State Mission Director for the Odisha Livelihoods Mission.

Saha, a 2012 graduate, was appointed state project director for OSEPA and has held the positions of labor commissioner and member secretary for Mo School. Six IPS and two IAS personnel were to be transferred, per the ECI’s directive, and the chief secretary had to provide a panel of three candidates for each job. The BJP accused officials of having an unhealthy relationship with the governing BJD, which led to the ordering of the transfers.