Who will succeed Rakesh Asthana? Gujarat IPS association to name its president soon

Rakesh Asthana, IPS

ON MAY 5 and 6, senior police officers of Gujarat will attend a workshop at the Directorate of Forensic Science (DFS), Gandhinagar, and if media reports turn correct,  the police officers will also discuss who could be the successor of Rakesh Asthana as the president of IPS Association, Gujarat. The need to fill up the post of the state IPS Association chief arose when Asthana resigned after…

he joined the Central Bureau of Investigation on deputation as its additional director. Asthana was police commissioner in Surat before going into the Central deputation.

According to a report published in The Times of India where it quoted unnamed sources, there could be a discussion about the election of the new president of IPS association, Gujarat “as most of the IPS officers will be present at the workshop”.

In fact, the workshop is meant for enhancing skills for the police officers so far as forensic detection and evidence gathering are concerned. In addition to senior police officers, the conference will be attended by forensic experts as well. 

The IPS body in the state is considered influential as it takes up issues concerning their members, unlike in many other states where the associations are virtually defunct. For example, when promotion for 1986 batch of IPS officers including some controversial cops were held up for several years, the IPS Association of the state took up the matter. The body in 2014 made a representation before chief minister Anandi Patel to expedite pending promotions, something that was highlighted by national media as well. 

Then five years ago, the association raised its voice against the “ill-treatment” meted out to IPS Sanjiv Bhatt, known to be a Narendra Modi baiter and the one who was later sacked from the service.

The association did take up the issue of victimization of Bhatt and his family.