J&K IPS officer Rath suspended for ‘misconduct’

Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 8

Senior IPS officer of J&K cadre Basant Rath was on Wednesday suspended by the Union Home Ministry for “gross misconduct and misbehaviour”.

Rath, a 2000 batch IPS officer, has been attached to Police Headquarters in Jammu and has been asked not to leave the headquarters without permission from the Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The order issued by the Home Ministry stated that disciplinary proceedings against Rath were “contemplated in connection with repeated instances of gross misconduct and misbehaviour, which have been brought to the notice of the Government”.

Notably, on June 25, Rath had filed a written complaint against DGP Dilbag Singh, fearing “the top cop poses a threat to his safety and reputation”.

Rath in his written complaint to the Station House Officer of Jammu’s Gandhi Nagar Police Station, mentioned that while he was not asking authorities to file an FIR, they should make a note of his complaint in case something untoward happens to him.

“Requesting you to take note of my apprehension about my life, liberty and bald head, the reason being certain activities of Sh Dilbag Singh, IPS batch 1987 batch, presently DGP.”

“I’m not asking you to lodge an FIR against the person mentioned above. I’m just asking you to make this letter a part of the daily diary in your police station,” read the complaint.

“In case something bad happens to me, you should know whose number you should dial. With due respect,” mentioned Rath.

Earlier, Rath had made a veiled attack on the DGP on social media.