Jammu and Kashmir cadre IPS officer resigns, to hitch politics

Express News Service

SRINAGAR:  Orissa-born J&Okay-cadre IPS officer Basant Rath, who’s beneath suspension for about two years, has resigned from the Indian Police Service to enter politics. He is the second senior civil servant of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, after 2010-batch IAS topper Shah Faesal, to resign from the job to hitch politics.  

Rath, a 50-year-old 2000 batch IPS officer, posted his resignation letter on the social media on Sunday. He additionally tweeted, “Politics is a noble profession.”  Rath had earlier posted on Twitter, “If I ever join a political party, it WILL be BJP. If I ever contest an election, it WILL be from Kashmir. If I ever join politics, it WILL be before March 6, 2024”.

Rath has served in J&Okay on a number of posts, together with IGP Traffic, whereby he invited controversy for his no-nonsense fashion in regulating visitors in Srinagar and Jammu. He had received each laurels and criticism for his fashion of working, and had earned the title “dabang”.

He had received admirers for delivery examine materials for aggressive exams freed from value to youth in distant areas. He was suspended in July 2020 for alleged misconduct and misbehavior. He was posted in Home Guards and Civil Defence.

Rath had on June 12, 2020 not directly accused DGP Dilbagh Singh of proudly owning 50 kanals land in Jammu. He had later lodged a police criticism in opposition to Singh, alleging menace to his life and liberty and stating that in case something untoward occurs to him, the DGP ought to be held accountable.