With Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik appointing senior IPS officer Sunil Kumar Bansal as the next Director-General of Odisha Police, the State in a first will see a hard-core Intelligence Bureau officer taking the reins of the top cop.
A hard-core IB officer at the helm of the State police is being seen with great interest given that Odisha in the past half-decade had seen chit fund scams galore, the proliferation of drug rackets, girl child and women trafficking network, organised gangs and IT crimes, besides the Red challenge. The insignia of the IB has the words 'Jagratan Aharnishan' - means 'Stay Alert All Time'. (see the image).
"Since the new DGP has been in the IB for over a decade, and had held the posts of IG (joint director), ADG (additional director) and DG equivalent (special director), he is a hard-core IB officer. During his tenure, intelligence-led policing will be the mainstay of Odisha police," said a senior IG rank police officer.
Story Before DGP Appointment
As per top sources, the Centre hardly allows repatriation of a hard-core IB officer to parent cadre. Senior IPS Sunil Bansal had been promoted to Special Director, Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB), Mumbai in 2020. The tenure has been till the superannuation date of June 30, 2022.
"Given that he held the posts of Additional Director and Special Director in the SIB, Mumbai, the Union Home Ministry led committee had inducted into the 'hard-core' officer in IB. In fact, as per IB rules, reverting to parent cadre is not allowed for such officers. Here, the Centre (MHA) has vetted Bansal's repatriation under a special case, as he will be promoted to DGP in Odisha," disclosed the top police official. At present, Bansal is holding a post that is DG equivalent.
Sources further informed that in mid-November, post the names were sent to UPSC by the Odisha government, senior IPS officer Sunil Kumar Bansal had expressed his willingness to return back to his parent cadre (Odisha). Only after a vet by the Union Home Secretary, UPSC has recommended the name of Sunil Basal among the top-3 list for the new Odisha DGP.
Know Odisha's New DGP
Senior IPS Sunil Kumar Bansal is native to Rajasthan. He had been allotted Odisha cadre in December 1987. A graduate in commerce, Bansal is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a law degree too.
A look at his educational qualifications shows that the senior IPS officer is well versed in law and has the acumen to deal with the rising economic offences in the State. No wonder, he had a stint in Sambalpur Vigilance.
Bansal has been on central deputation since 1994 and since then had held many vital posts in the Intelligence Bureau (the wing that looks after the internal security of the country). Prior to moving to the Centre, Bansal had been the SP in districts like Dhenkanal, Angul, Mayurbhanj in Odisha.
His efficiency during Odisha stint can well be ascertained from the fact that the government had recommended Bansal for the Police Medal (IPM) in 2003.
In 2013, the Union Home Ministry had recommended Bansal for the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Services. As a police officer, his 5 ACRs (Annual Confidential Record) had earned outstanding scores by the IB's then director.
New Assignment And Bansal
Being a hard-core IB officer, the new DGP is believed to impart a high standard of professionalism to Odisha Police. Since the IB plays a major role in collecting information about natural disasters - floods to quakes, many former police officials feel that Bansal's experience will come in handy for Odisha police in times of natural disasters.
Even as Bansal has been away from the State soil for 27-years, being a professional officer was in touch with the State police hierarchy when he took part in the annual conference of state DGPs and DG (Intelligence) convened by Director, Intelligence Bureau. This is to say that Bansal is not alien to the police set up in the State.
Being an 'intelligence' man, the new DGP is likely to infuse a new life to the 'special branch' of Odisha police, who has been their human intelligence input.
"A professional HUM-INT (human intelligence) set up can efficiently crack the organised crime syndicates - who are involved in trafficking, arms and drug racket, hawala dealing and smuggling," said a Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) report.