Chandigarh DGP Made DIG, BSF. Colleagues Mistake Order As April 1 Prank

In the same order, the MHA asked the Union Territory administration to give the charge of the Chandigarh DGP to Raj Kumar Singh, a 2004-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre. 

Yadav, who is known within the police force for his commitment to transparency and accountability, was made Chandigarh DGP in March 2024. Before that, he headed the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the NCT of Delhi, where he was proactive in combating graft within the administration. Even during his tenure as Chandigarh's DGP, Yadav is credited with taking several steps to improve standards of policing in the UT. 

Interestingly, it is rumoured that many of Yadav’s fellow police officers initially took the MHA order as an ‘April Fool’ prank, given the unprecedented nature of the decision to curtail his tenure in Chandigarh.    

However, sources in the MHA said that since Yadav was not empanelled for a senior position at the Centre, he has been appointed to the level of DIG in the BSF, in the wake of a new rule that mandates a DIG in a state is eligible to join as DIG at the Centre.

According to sources, the MHA decision is also meant to send a message to those officers who are currently Additional Director General (ADG) or Inspector General (IG) in different states, but are yet to be empanelled at the Centre. 

A senior MHA officer said, “There are several IPS officers who are serving as ADG and IG in different states, without being empanelled for the same posts at the Centre. This appointment indicates the Centre’s policy towards such cases.” 

Within the police hierarchy, a DIG is significantly junior compared to a DGP. A DGP is the highest-ranking officer in a state or UT, overseeing the entire police force, while a DIG is a mid-level officer, typically in charge of a specific range or sector.