TRINATH MOHANTY, OP
Bhubaneswar: Several police officers in the Bhubaneswar-Kataka Commissionerate Police have continued to serve in the same police jurisdiction for years, raising questions over the implementation of government transfer norms. Some officers have reportedly remained in the Commissionerate for more than nine years, while a few have completed over 12 years.
According to police transfer guidelines, an officer should not remain posted in the same police district for more than three years. The provision is intended to prevent the development of vested interests, corruption and other malpractices that may arise from prolonged postings in one place. However, the available information suggests that these norms have not been uniformly implemented in the Commissionerate Police. Information obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act reveals that several officers have served in the Commissionerate for periods ranging from five to 12 years.
Among the senior officers, Additional DCP Manas Ranjan Garnayak, posted at the Commissionerate Police Headquarters, has reportedly completed 12 years and six months. Himanshu Bhushan Swain, posted in the Special Squad Office, has served for 11 years and six months. Similarly, ACP Arun Kumar Swain, posted in Kata ka UPD, has completed 11 years and six months. Other ACPs with prolonged tenures include Sudhanshu Bhushan Jena (eight years and five months), Bhubaneswar Traffic ACP Umakanta Pradhan (eight years and six months), Girija Shankar Chakrabarty of Cuttack UPD (seven years and nine months), Amitabh Mohapatra of Kataka (seven years and six months), and Zone-V ACP Biswaranjan Senapati (seven years and six months). The situation is equally striking among inspectors, with several having served in the Commissionerate for more than a decade. Kharavela Nagar Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Debendra Kumar has reportedly completed 12 years and seven months. Krupasindhu Barad, Additional Inspector-in-Charge at Khandagiri Police Station, has served for 12 years.
Similarly, Durgesswari Pradhan of the Investigative Units on Crime Against Women (IUCAW) Unit at the Commissionerate Police Headquarters and Tusharkanta Sethi of Kataka Sadar Police Station have each completed 12 years and six months. Madhupatna Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Chittaranjan Rout has served for 12 years, while Tereskova Mahapatra of the Kataka DCRB has completed 12 years and three months. Other officers with lengthy tenures include Dargah Bazaar Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Rakesh Kumar Behera (10 years and four months), Inspector Asmita Mishra (nine years and 11 months), Cyber Police Station Inspector Santosini Behera (nine years and nine months), Inspector Prashant Kumar Patra at the DPO (six years), and Chauliaganj Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Reena Mishra (nine years and nine months). Pahala Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Ashwin Kumar Jena, Mancheswar Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Gayanananda Saha and Jatni Police Station Inspector-in-Charge Stalin Biswal have each reportedly served in the Commissionerate for nine years and six months. Despite these prolonged tenures, many officers have not been transferred outside the Commissionerate.
The report further alleges that transfers are often carried out during elections, when officers posted in Bhubaneswar are shifted to Kataka and those in Kataka are moved to Bhubaneswar. After the elections, they reportedly return to their previous postings. When contacted for his response, Police Commissioner Suresh Dev Datta Singh said he was not aware of the details and would comment after looking into the matter.