Bengaluru: Karnataka will soon welcome its first ever woman Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) if Chief Minister Siddaramaiah selects senior IPS officer Neelamani N Raju for the top post, which will be vacant by January end with the retirement of incumbent top cop Om Prakash on superannuation.
Names of four DGP rank officers are making rounds and they are Rupak Kumar Dutta, Neelamani Raju, H C Kishore Chandra and M N Reddi.
It may be recalled that Dutta’s seniority was overlooked during the selection last time as he was on Central deputation as Special Director of CBI.
However, if the government goes by seniority, Dutta stands a brighter chance this time. Dutta is still on Central deputation and will retire in October, this year. But, sources also state that the short working tenure may go against Dutta and in this case, Neelamani Raju will take to the top post.
Neelamani Raju, a 1983 batch officer was on Central deputation for 23 long years and had served in the Central Intelligence agencies. She is the DGP (Internal Security Division) at present. Her return to Karnataka in 2016 buzzed the topic of she heading the state police force, post Om Prakash’s retirement.
Neelamani Raju’s husband D N Narasimha Raju is a former IAS officer, who reportedly has strong say in Siddaramaiah government.
The next two contenders for the post- DGP Kishore Chandra and Reddi too stand a chance. While the former is said to be a ‘quiet worker’, the latter is believed to have good rapport in the power corridors.
Ultimately, the ball is in the CM’s court because he is the one who will take the final call.
