NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday gave additional charge of Delhi Police Commissioner to senior IPS officer S.N. Shrivastava with effect from March 1 and until further orders with incumbent Amulya Patnaik retiring on Saturday.
The government’s order to give Shrivastava additional charge of Delhi Police chief though raised concerns whether he would continue on the post or any other officer would be appointed to head the 84,000 strong force.
The 1985-batch officer of Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, Srivastava, has been presently holding the charge of Special Commissioner of Delhi Police.
Shrivastava was drafted into the Delhi Police on Tuesday evening to bring the riot-hit areas of the northeast district under control.
A Home Ministry order issued on Friday mentioned that “with the approval of the competent authority, S.N. Shrivastava, IPS (AGMUT: 1985) presently posted with Delhi Police, as Special CP, is hereby given the additional charge of the post of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi with effect from March 1, 2020 and until further orders”.
Shrivastava was earlier posted as Special Director General (Training) with the Central Reserve Police Force. He was ADG (western zone) looking after Jammu and Kashmir at the peak of violence in 2016-17 when Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was gunned down.
The Central Reserve Police Force, where Shrivastava was serving as the Special Director General (Training), issued his reliving order for his “premature repatriation” from the paramilitary force soon after Home Ministry’s direction.
Earlier, Shrivastava headed the Delhi Police Special Cell and was instrumental in the arrest of scores of Indian Mujahideen operatives. He has served the Delhi Police in various capacities in the past.
Shrivastava, who holds a B. Tech and LLB degree, was tipped to take over as the new Delhi Police chief after he was called back to the force at a time when Delhi was facing violent protests and riot that led to the death of 38 people and left over 200 injured in a span of four days since February 23.
Patnaik’s extended tenure ends on February 29. He is a 1985 batch IPS officer from Union Territories cadre, and was appointed as Delhi Police chief on January 30, 2017.
He retired from the post on January 31 but was given one month extension in view Delhi Assembly elections which concluded earlier this month.
IANS