A day after the Karnataka High Court upheld the verdict of the Central Administrative Tribunal and quashed the appointment of Shankar M. Bidari as State police chief, the senior-most IPS officer, A.R. Infant, took charge as the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police on Saturday.
Earlier, Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda announced the officer would hold concurrent charge as DG & IGP along with his present post of DGP, Fire and Emergency Services Department. He also indicated that the government would appeal against the High Court order in the Supreme Court. Mr. Bidari has been posted as Chairman and Managing Director of the Karnataka State Police Housing Corporation.
Welcomed into office with a ceremonial guard of honour and an uncharacteristic bursting of firecrackers in the evening, Mr. Infant, a 1977 batch IPS officer, minced no words. His first words soon after receiving the baton were, “This should have happened much before, but it could not because of some unfortunate circumstances.”
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He lauded his predecessor and said, “The good practices that have been put in place by my predecessor, Mr. Bidari, will continue. Officers may come and go, but the good practices continue.”
He said he wanted to focus on two major issues. First, he wanted to “uphold the rule of law” and ensure that every officer followed it “scrupulously and conscientiously”.
Second, he said that he would like to “re-instil discipline in the force”, which, he felt, was “badly required”. He said, “There are many good officers who should be encouraged. But there are a few black sheep and they must be curbed.” He also said he would try and strengthen prevention and detection of crime which “has suffered over time”.
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Mr. Bidari kept it short, saying he had faith in the abilities of Mr. Infant and was confident that he would do a good job.
Pressed to comment on the conditions under which he was eased out of office, he said, “This is not the time or place for that.”