Mightier than Governor, Praveen got more pampering than punishment

VIJAY DEO JHA

RANCHI

At this moment former Governor of Jharkhand Ved Prakash Marwah would be able to explain as to why no actions taken against IPS Praveen Kumar Singh whose operational mistakes and undutiful act during ambush with CPI (Maoist) at Baliwa led to the killing of 33 security personnel.

Marwah who authored ‘India in Turmoil’ focusing upon internal security challenges in the country has made serious observations against Singh and evasive attitude of the state government in punishing him in the book on in pages 123-124. Marwah had served Jharkhand as Governor from June 12, 2003 to December 9, 2004.

On April 7, 2004 Jharkhand had witnessed biggest mayhem of combined contingent of the state police and CRPF. Singh; SP Chaibasa that time, who was leading the forces fled from the battlefield and left forces to become an easy meat of the Maoist. Over the years the state government instead punishing Singh pampered him with postings in lucrative districts like Hazaribagh and Ranchi.

Speaking to the pioneer over telephone Marwah said: “I remember that schedules of the parliamentary elections were announced and Singh who led the team was returning to the base by the same route. Maoists surrounded the team and killed the jawans. Singh in fact fled and left the jawans butchered. I had asked the DGP and the state government to take actions. Singh used his good connection in the political fraternity to save his skin. He got a reward posting.” 

Court of Inquiry conducted by the CRPF held him responsible on 13 counts including vital strategic lapses and not informing his superiors about the incidents even after 12 hours he fled from the ambush site. Udhampur unit of the CRPF in 2009 had reminded the state government to take action against him. In March 2012 the CRPF sent a terse missive to the state government for not initiating any action against Singh.

“Ambush on the 150 strong CRPF and state police party armed with LMGs under the command of an SP in 2004…was one of the most sensational case…the extremist demonstrated their domination of rich mining area and their daring strength. The police lost an inspector and over 30 security personnel without much resistance. The SP who was commanding the police contingent also ran away for his life leaving helpless policemen and the CRPF personnel to their own fate,” the book read.  All these years Singh enjoyed plum postings in lucrative districts—SP Hazaribagh, SSP Ranchi and DIG Special Branch of Police.

There was an open talk that this had been done because of his political connections and that punishing him would have exposed the police-politician nexus for illegal mining in the area, Marwah observed.

Singh is the son-in-law of Congress leader Jagdambika Pal who was -- one day Chief Minister -- of Uttar Pradesh. Two years back Pal had raised much hue and cry on the floor of the Parliament when someone raised a doubting finger on deteriorating law and order condition of Jharkhand and about political patronage and postings of police officials. Pal had clamoured that his brave son in law hadfaced 8-10 bullets in his chest during that encounter. Singh had actually sustained bullet injuries on his right arm and finger.

“The tragic incident reflected poorly on the police morale and its leadership in the state. The fact that no action was taken against the IPS officer…only goes to show how deep the malady of corruption in the state administration was,” Marwah commented.