THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, August 18: A petition challenging the appointment of Anurag Gupta as Jharkhand’s Director General of Police (DGP) came up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday.
The matter was heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran, and Justice N.V. Anjaria.
During the hearing, the court dismissed the contempt petition filed by Babulal Marandi.
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Appearing on behalf of the state government, senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued that the appointment of the DGP falls under the jurisdiction of the state government and that Anurag Gupta had been appointed in accordance with the rules.
The dismissal of the contempt petition by the Supreme Court comes as a major relief for DGP Anurag Gupta.
Babulal Marandi had challenged Gupta’s appointment
Babulal Marandi, BJP’s state president and Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, had filed a contempt petition in the Supreme Court challenging Anurag Gupta’s appointment as DGP. The petition had also named the Chief Secretary and others as respondents.
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The plea contended that Gupta’s appointment violated the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in the Prakash Singh vs Union of India case.
It alleged that a DGP empanelled by the UPSC was improperly removed to make way for Gupta’s appointment. The conditions prescribed by the Supreme Court for removing a DGP were ignored, and therefore, his appointment amounted to contempt of court.
