M A I N   N E W S

Virk to be Punjab DGP
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 16
Decks have been cleared for the appointment of Mr S.S. Virk, an IPS officer of the 1970 batch belonging to the Maharashtra cadre, to be the next Director-General of Punjab Police.

The Union Government, sources point out, has agreed to the Punjab Government’s request for allowing Mr S.S. Virk to continue on deputation with the state government, which wanted to name him as the successor to Dr A.A. Siddiqui, Director-General of Police, who superannuates on January 31. Mr Virk, who had been on deputation with the Punjab Government for a long time, is currently Additional Director-General of Police (Intelligence). He is the recipient of Padma Shri for fighting terrorism in Punjab. The sources said his continuation in deputation with the Punjab Government in suppression of the existing rules had been cleared at the highest level to pave the way for his appointment as the next DGP.

Mr Virk, according to the sources, was conveyed the decision of the Union Government at a party here this evening.

His formal appointment will be ratified only after the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) holds its meeting some time next week and clears all officers of the 1970 batch — Mr Lalit Bhatia, Mr S.C. Jain, Mr D.R. Bhatti. Dr G.S. Aujla and Mr M.P.S. Aulakh — for appointment to the rank of Director-General of Police.

Besides Dr Siddiqui, Punjab has three more officers — Mr S.K. Verma (1967 batch), Mr Purshottam Lal (1969 batch) and Mr R.K. Gupta (1969 batch) — in the rank of DGP. Both Dr Siddiqui and Mr Gupta are due to retire on January 31.