Legal or political: The tenure of former Jharkhand DGP mired in controversy!

The voluntary retirement (VR) of the former DGP Anurag Gupta has triggered discussions in the bureaucratic circle over the justification behind his resignation. Gupta was known as one of the most influential faces in Jharkhand Police in recent years. He was retained on the post even after his retirement. The central government had rejected the state government’s decision to extend tenure beyond retirement and issued a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren, stating that the decision to retain Anurag Gupta as DGP beyond his retirement date was incorrect. According to the central government, he officially retired on April 30, 2025. Gupta had assumed charge as in-charge DGP of Jharkhand but was removed from the post by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the Jharkhand Assembly elections. Following the election results, he was reinstated as in-charge DGP on November 28, 2024, after the Hemant Soren government returned to power with a thumping majority. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi has filed a PIL in the court , terming Anurag Gupta’s appointment as unconstitutional.