SHILLONG: A DGP for only seven days, with only four working days to function as one, is perhaps the shortest tenure as a DGP in the history of Meghalaya.
The State Home Department has, in what can be best described as a logic-defying move, appointed a police official as Director General Police (SB/CID), just for seven days to enable him to retire availing the pension at the rank equivalent to DG Police (Home).
Just before he relinquished the post of additional DG in charge North East Police Academy, AK Mathur was appointed for seven days as DG Police (SB/CID), a post which never existed in the State.
Out of the seven days of appointment, two days were holidays being Saturday and Sunday. On the last day of his tenure, on April 30, he only relinquished the post; which means that the official had only 4 working days as DGP (SB/CID).
While Mathur was appointed as DG Police (SB/CID) on April 23, he retired on April 30. Even on the last day, there was a drama over handing over charge after his retirement, as there was no one to take charge as DG Police (SIB/CID) after Mathur retired.
A notification issued by the Home department on April 23 said: “On his repatriation from Central deputation and on reversion to the Meghalaya Wing of the Assam-Meghalaya joint cadre, AK Mathur IPS is posted as Director General of Police (SB/CID), Meghalaya with effect from the date of taking over charge till the date of superannuation on 30.04.2014.”
Dramatically, the Government on the day of Mathur’s retirement, also cleared the certificate of transfer of charge on April 30 which quoted Mathur as saying, “Certified that I have in the forenoon/afternoon of this day, 30th April, 2014, made over charge of the office of the Director General of Police (SB/CID), Shillong, in pursuance of the Government order dated April 23, 2014.”
While the name and signature of the relieved officer Mathur was visible in the certificate of transfer, there was no name of the receiving officer and his signature in the order. According to sources, there can be only two posts of DG in Meghalaya. Among recognized posts by the Centre, while one (DG, Police) is a cadre post, another is a non- cadre post (DG, Civil Defence and Home Guards).
Earlier, the State Government had created a third post of DG under Prisons department. However, this was valid only for two years since 2009 as the Centre did not extend it citing illegality.
Now, the State Government has given nod for the creation of the fourth post of DG Police (SB/CID) which, however, is likely come under the scrutiny of both the Union Government and the auditors.
