The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has suspended a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) after he allegedly disseminated audio and video messages on social media opposing the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) bill.
However, members of welfare associations for retired cadre officers of paramilitary forces claim the action against Bidhan Chandra Patra came about because his family joined protests against the CAPF bill and he promoted videos of such protests on social media.
The CAPF General Administration Act, 2006, creates a unified legal framework for all five CAPFs and codifies the deputation of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at senior levels.
Associations of cadre officers have long opposed the practice and fought a legal battle with the government against having IPS officers on deputation leading the forces, and the absence of cadre review for non-IPS officers, which led to them being overlooked for leadership roles.
The CRPF has initiated an enquiry against Patra, directing an Inspector General rank officer to probe all internal communication/digital logs to which the officer had access in the last 12 months and also to look into encrypted communications, including WhatsApp messages, to establish the truth of the allegations.
The welfare associations have alleged that several officers have been targeted for their families holding peaceful protests against the bill, and have decided to hold a press conference on this discriminatory and targeted approach adopted by the CRPF.
