CRPF suspends DIG for messages opposing CAPF bill, union alleges targeting

THe telephone exchange book police drive Force (CRPF) endure week suspended a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) after initiating a probe against him for allegedly disseminating audio and video messages on social media that called for “changing the government established by law.”But members of welfare associations for retired cadre officers of paramilitary forces claim the action against Bidhan Chandra Patra came about because his family joined protests against the Central Armed Police Forces bill that was passed by Parliament in April and he promoted videos of such protests on social media.The CAPF General Administration Act, 2006, creates a unified legal framework for all five CAPFs and codifies the deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at senior levels.Associations of cadre officers have long opposed the practice and fought a legal battle with the government against having IPS officers on deputation leading the forces, and the absence of cadre review for non-IPS officers, which led to them being overlooked for leadership roles.According to the enquiry order, dated June 10 and seen by HT, an Inspector General rank officer has been directed to probe all internal communication/digital logs to which the officer had access in the last 12 months and also to look into encrypted communications, including WhatsApp messages, to establish the truth of the allegations. Patra, a non-Indian Police Service cadre officer, had returned to the CRPF in April from the National Security Guard (NSG) where he had been on deputation. He was posted in CRPF’s Tripura sector when the suspension order was issued on June 17, even as the enquiry report was pending.The June 10 order also directed the enquiry officer to examine if a violation of the Official Secrets Act had occurred and assess the extent of potential information leakage.“The officer has won awards for operations in J&K and other tough terrain. Many such officers have been targeted for their families holding peaceful protests against the bill. However, they were not present at the protests. We will share details of such discrimination against several officers on July 2 at a press conference,” said Ranbir Singh, general secretary of the Alliance of All Ex Paramilitary Forces Welfare Association.President of the alliance, retired CRPF additional director general (ADG) H.R. Singh, said there have been cases of some officers being prematurely transferred out of the national capital region because their families took part in CAPF protests. “To protest peacefully is a democratic right. Alliance of All Ex Para-Military Forces Welfare Association has decided to hold a press conference on this discriminatory and targeted approach adopted by the CRPF by taking such an extreme action against the most disciplined decorated officer (Patra), which is very demoralising for the force,” he said.The alliance said that DIG Patra was suspended under Sub-Rule (1) of Rule 10 of the Central Civil Service (CCA) Rules, 1965. The rule empowers any authority appointed by the President to suspend a government servant pending disciplinary proceedings in cases where the officer has engaged in activities contrary to the interest of the state.“All serving and uniformed officers of CRPF are bound by the rules and statutes and the oath taken. Any word, written or spoken or action contravening the same would be dealt with appropriately in consonance with the law of the land,” CRPF director general G.P. Singh told HT. Patra was not available for comment.