Senior IPS officer Arshinder Singh Chawla stripped of all charges in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: Additional director general of police (administration) Arshinder Singh Chawla was divested of all the charges on the orders of Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij due to the slow progress of Dial 112 centralised project of police control helpline.The senior IPS officer, who was awarded the President’s Police Medal for distinguished service this year, has proceeded on a 15-day leave.

Earlier, Vij made an unannounced visit to the Haryana Police headquarters in Panchkula on his way to office at the Haryana Secretariat.

The minister had told DGP Manoj Yadav to withdraw work from Chawla as the officer had reportedly not made any progress in the ‘Dial 112’ project which was launched in February. The project was  to be completed in two months. 

“As it is a 24X7 helpline number for the assistance related to PCR, women and health helpline, I stopped to check if the orders were issued. The DGP gave me a copy of the order withdrawing work (from Chawla),’’ said Vij. “Chawla has been sitting on the project for over a year and made no headway. I was never briefed about the project, leaving me with no option but to withdraw his work.’’

Sources said Additional DGP (Modernisation) Alok Kumar Roy will look after the work of telecom department in addition to his duties. 

While Additional DGP (law and Order) Navdeep Virk will have additional charge of general administration branch and IT, Additional DGP (Headquarter and Crime Against Women) Kala Ramachandran will look after the Establishment Branch I, the legal cell and the training branch. All these charges were earlier with Chawla.