Lokayukta forces transfer ‘rollback’
Just two days after IG Ashok Awasthi was transferred from Lokyaukta's Special Police Establishment (SPE) and shifted to Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the state government cancelled the order and re-posted him at the SPE.
Just two days after IG Ashok Awasthi was transferred from Lokyaukta's Special Police Establishment (SPE) and shifted to Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), the state government cancelled the order and re-posted him at the SPE.
The state government was forced to retract its decision, as the order was in violation of the Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta Act, which clearly states that any posting needs to have the Lokayukta's nod. Besides, the IPS officers' deputation with the SPE can't be less than three years.
According to sources, the state government had transferred Awasthi without taking the consent of Lokayukta PP Naolekar and this was in violation of the Lokayukta Act. Ashok Awasthi had completed only two years in the Lokayukta office. And according to rules, deputation period of IPS officers could not be of less than three years.
Though there were speculations that raids on influential people was one of the reasons that he was transferred, insiders say that this is baseless as 59 police officers were shifted in the reshuffle affected on Sunday.
Talking to HT, Lokayukta Justice PP Naolekar said the transfer had taken place against the rules as the government can't recall him (the police officer) before completion of the three-year deputation period. Therefore the government cancelled his transfer. When asked whether the state government was not aware of the rules, the Lokayukta said, "I can't comment on the issue."
On the cancellation of his transfer, Ashok Awasthi said, "I was ready to leave. When I asked the Lokayukata justice PP Naolekar, he said that the transfer was done without his consent and against the Lokayukta Act and this is the only reason why the transfer order was revoked," he said.