Chandigarh (08.11.2023): On an application moved by former director general of police VK Bhawra (IPS: 1987: PB) challenging the appointment of Gaurav Yadav (IPS: 1992: PB) as the DGP and seeking his reinstatement, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) issued notices to the Punjab government, the Centre, Union Public Service Commission and Gaurav Yadav.

On January 8, 2022, Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit appointed Bhawra DGP for minimum period of two years. But in March 2022 when the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party government took charge, Bhawra was “pressurised to relinquish the charge and it was perceived that he was appointee of the previous government.”

The application reads that Bhawra was asked to partake in various illegal acts which included but were not limited to register to cases against various public figures who had personal incumbents, granting of security of the contingent of Punjab police outside the state to various dignitaries and various other coercive measure which he refused.

On September 2, 2022, on the date when his two-month leave was to expire, the state government passed a transfer order, posting him as chairman of the Punjab Police Housing Corporation, Mohali.

Bhawra urged the tribunal to quash the September 2, 2022, order vide which in a “completely illegal and arbitrary manner and in total contravention of the Punjab Police Act, 2007, the applicant in the guise of the transfer order has been removed from the post of DGP (head of police force).”