New Delhi, Sept. 26 -- With West Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta's tenure likely to end in October, Nabanna is preparing to send a panel of IPS officers to the UPSC.
Seven to eight DG-rank officers are expected to be considered, with seniority, service record and individual cases likely to shape the shortlist. The UPSC will select three names, from which CM Suvendu Adhikari will choose the next DGP.
The names being discussed include 1991-batch officers Anuj Sharma and Natarajan Ramesh Babu, again 1993-batch officers Peeyush Pandey and Praveen Kumar, and 1994-batch officer Niraj Kumar Singh.
The 2026 official IPS civil list places Sharma and Ramesh Babu in the 1991 batch, while Pandey and Praveen Kumar are 1993-batch officers and Singh belongs to the 1994 batch. Even three 1995 batch IPS officers might be in the list - Jawed Shamim, Ajey Mukund Ranade and R Sivakumar, though Ranade, now DG (Law & Order) is due to retire this year.
Sharma and Ramesh Babu are the senior-most among these officers. Sharma is currently DG (Fire) and is being seen as an active contender like Ramesh Babu, currently DG (CID) & DG (Jails).
Pandey, a former acting DGP after the superannuation of Rajeev Kumar in January, is another contender of 1993-batch. His batchmate Praveen Kumar, now DG, BSF, might return to the state if Centre's nod is there.
Again, Niraj Kumar Singh is from the 1994 batch and is currently Chairman of the West Bengal Police Recruitment Board.
As the state prepares to send its eligible names to the UPSC to shortlist the panel, as per guidelines in the ex-IPS Prakash Singh case, the final say will be with the CM, officials said..
Moreover, the state might want to give another additional stint to Gupta, as the civic polls, including at KMC & HMC, are likely to be held in November this year, and it is going to be the first election after the change of power.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.