Hyderabad City police commissioner shunted out

In a major shake-up, Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday evening shifted Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V Dinesh Reddy, who had crossed swords with the outgoing Chief Secretary Mohan Kanda.

Director-General of Police (Vigilance & Enforcement) A K Mohanty has been appointed as the new City police commissioner in place of Dinesh Reddy, who has been given posting as Additional DGP (Provisioning and Logistics), a low-profile post in the director general of police's office.

The transfer of Dinesh Reddy, who has completed just 10 months as Hyderabad police commissioner, comes in the wake of the recent controversy involving him and a senior Indian Administrative Service officer.

Dinesh Reddy had picked up a row with Principal Secretary (Political) C R Biswal over the pecking order to receive President A P J Abdul Kalam at Begumpet airport during his recent visit to the city on August 4.

Dinesh Reddy had stepped out of the assigned slot in the protocol line-up. He dashed off a letter to Chief Secretary Mohan Kanda complaining against the principal secretary (Political). "I cannot stand behind principal secretary (Political). As City police commissioner, I should enjoy precedence over him in the protocol," he reportedly wrote.

He got a memo from the chief secretary for violating protocol by standing next to DGP Swaranjit Sen and ahead of principal secretary (Political), his protocol superior. Apparently, Dinesh Reddy did not know that the memo was served on him on the orders of Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. The chief secretary had brought the police officer's missive to the chief minister's notice.

Not taking things lying down, Dinesh Reddy shot off another missive to the chief secretary. "How dare you serve a memo to me. As the commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, I am in the same rank as chief secretary," Dinesh Reddy reportedly stated in his second letter.

The state IPS Officers Association also passed a resolution at a hurriedly convened executive committee meeting, demanding protocol parity with the IAS.

Incidentally, Dinesh Reddy happens to be the secretary of the state IPS Officers Association.

"The year of appointment of an officer to the All-India Service should be the guiding principle for protocol purposes rather than the position held by an officer," the resolution said. It was also contended that the superintendents of police should get protocol treatment on par with district collectors.

Though the executive committee had authorised the association secretary to represent the IPS officers' protocol issue to the chief secretary, Dinesh Reddy wrote the letter in his individual capacity on his official letterhead and not that of the association.

Dinesh Reddy, who belongs to the 1977 batch of IPS, also alleged that the principal secretary (Political) had deliberately humiliated him in the presence of fellow officers during Dr Kalam's visit and complained that the IAS officer, who belongs to the 1981 batch, did not know the protocol manual.   

As the controversy raged on, the government did not act immediately since the City police was busy with the bandobust for the 11-day Ganesh festival and the centralised procession on September 17. Ten days after the event passed off peacefully, the government issued orders transferring the defiant IPS officer.

Even DGP Sen and Additional DGP (Intelligence) had no inkling about the officer's transfer till the orders were made public.  

Besides the City police commissioner, the government effected transfer of six other top police officers. Incumbent Additional DGP (Provisioning and Logistics) Ram Pratap Singh was also transferred.

Additional DGP (CID) R R Girish Kumar will take over as Director-General  (Vigilance & Enforcement). Director of AP Police Academy M Ratan will be the new Additional DGP (CID). 

Inspector-General of Police Hyderabad Range Raghuveer Prasad Meena has been transferred and posted as Controller of Legal Metrology. IGP (CID) C Ratna Reddy takes over as IGP, Hyderabad Range. Earlier, Meena was shifted from the post of IGP (Rayalaseema) following the killing of Telugu Desam Party legislator Paritala Ravi by his factional rivals in Anantapur town in January 2005.  

Meanwhile, T K Dewan, chief commissioner, Land Administration, has been appointed as the new chief secretary in place of Mohan Kanda who is retiring from service on superannuation on September 30.

Dewan, an IAS officer of 1974 batch, hails from Darjeeling, West Bengal. After graduating from Calcutta University in 1966, he served in the Indian Army as a short service commissioned officer during 1969-73. He served in various capacities as an IAS officer of AP cadre. He also worked in Union Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Home Affairs.