Odisha Cadre IPS Officer Likely To Face Action Against Unauthorised Absence

Cuttack: The Odisha government is most likely to initiate disciplinary action against senior IPS officer and IG, Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC), NB Bharathi for her unauthorised absence and irresponsible conduct.

According to reports, the Home Department after failing to contact the IPS officer has put up a notice on the door of her office chamber in the State Police Headquarters premises at Buxi Bazar in Cuttack on Wednesday.

The Disciplinary Committee of the Home Department in a notice to the 1998 cadre IPS officer on November 23, 2017, had directed her to appear in person within 30 days and submit a written statement in her defence.

But as there was no response, the Law Department had served another notice on September 30 last year giving her seven days more time to submit a written explanation either in person or through a representative during the hearing of the charges.

The notice was served on Bharathi during her posting as the DIG, Modernisation, State Police Headquarters. She was later promoted and posted as the IG, HRPC.

In a letter to the Home Department on December 24 last year, the State Police Headquarters had said that Bharathi had been absent from office for some days since November 22 without any prior intimation or leave application. The Headquarters acted after receiving a report from the Additional Director General of Police (ADG), HRPC, SM Narvane on November 26.

“Her conduct has been quite irresponsible. She went to Gajapati for an annual inspection without getting her official tour programme approved by the competent authority. On December 19, the HRPC ADG sent her a recall notice to return to her office at the police headquarters immediately for urgent official work. In spite of the recall notice, she is yet to return and is camping in Gajapati, defying the orders of the competent authority,” the State Police Headquarters said in the letter.

Meanwhile, the state government has appointed the Additional DGP, Headquarters, Vinaytosh Mishra, as the Investigating Officer (IO) to probe into the allegations against Bharathi.

This is the first instance of the State Police Headquarters hauling up an errant IPS officer.