A day after spat with minister, Fatehabad police officer shifted

Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 28

Acting on Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij’s complaint, the state government today transferred Fatehabad SP Sangeeta Kalia following yesterday's spat between the two during a grievances committee meeting at the district headquarters.

Kalia has been posted as Commandant, 4th IRB, Manesar. She is succeeded by Om Prakash, who was posted as Commandant, 3rd IRB, Sunaria. The government has given additional charge of Sunaria to Rohtak Superintendent of Police Shashank Anand.

Sources said the transfer was effected immediately in a bid to placate Vij since he had announced that he would not return to Fatehabad till Kalia was moved out, making it a prestige point. While Vij had complained to the Chief Minister, Kalia had, in a note, reported the incident to Director General of Police Yash Pal Singal.

Though no personal hearing was given to Kalia before her transfer orders were issued, sources said the fault lay on both sides. While Kalia should have avoided arguing with the minister, Vij, too, should have maintained decorum in addressing the officer.

In an officer-politician clash, therefore, the only “convenient” alternative before the government was   to move out the officer without letting the controversy stretch any further. However, sources said Vij should also be “pulled up” by the party or the high command for repeatedly putting the government in a spot —  sometimes with his actions and otherwise with his off-the-cuff remarks.

Sources said Kalia’s transfer has only widened the divide between the politicians and officers. This assumes significance since there is growing perception and frequent complaint from politicians and workers of the ruling party that the officers in districts are completely ignoring them.

While the government may have bought peace for the moment by moving Kalia out, it is far from being an open-and-shut case. A member of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Ishwar Singh, said the Commission would send a notice to the government and seek a report from the Chief Secretary within seven days on the incident.

The confrontation between the minister and the woman officer took place over the alleged sale of liquor in villages at the district grievances meeting chaired by Vij. While the minister accused the police of abetting illegal sale of liquor following a complaint he received, the SP took exception to his statement and tried to explain that the Department had registered 2,500 cases in this regard over the past 10 months.