For the past few years IGP Basant Rath remained in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. In a smear social media campaign, he was constantly indulging in mudslinging against the J&K DGP Dilbag Singh.
Declaring him unfit to be retained in service, the Union Home Ministry has prematurely retired the 2000 batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer and IGP Basant Rath.
Odisha-born Rath was under suspension since July 2020.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, in its office memorandum signed by director Sushma Chauhan, stated that “after careful consideration of the proposal of the UT Division and the performance of Basant Kumar Rath, it has come to the conclusion that officer is not fit to be retained in service in public interest”.
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Another order issued on 8 August by Rakesh Kumar, under secretary, reads: “I am directed to refer to Police Division, MHA’s OM No 30012/01/2023-IPS-II dated August 7, 2023, and to say that the competent authority has approved the premature retirement of Basant Kumar Rath, IPS (AGMUT:2000) in public interest under Rule 16(3) of All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement-Benefits) Rules, 1958, with immediate effect by giving three months pay and allowances in lieu of notice.”
For the past few years Rath remained in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. In a smear social media campaign, he was constantly indulging in mudslinging against the J&K DGP Dilbag Singh who is credited for ably handing terrorism and other complex situations in Jammu and Kashmir. The DGP handled the post-370 abrogation tense situation across Kashmir very professionally and no violence was reported from anywhere.
Rath had, in a recent letter to the Cabinet Secretary, also made critical remarks against the Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla. He had also locked horns with the then DGP SP Vaid.
He also hogged the headlines after a spat he had with Srinagar’s Mayor Junaid Mattu.
Rath had earlier applied for voluntary retirement. He also wrote to the President of India.
Early on Thursday morning, Rath wrote a ‘thank you note’ and later posted on the Twitter BJP’s acknowledgement of his joining the party as its “foot soldier”. He had earlier said that he will contest the election from Kashmir as a BJP candidate.
He was first suspended in July 2020 on the charge of “repeated instances of gross misconduct and misbehaviour”. The Union home ministry extended his suspension for another six months on 28 July.
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