Image Courtesy:zeenews.india.com
Mukul Goel was removed from his post as Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), and appointed as the Director General Civil Defence by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on May 11, 2022, reported Hindustan Times.
As per news reports, Goel was removed for allegedly ‘neglecting work’ and not taking interest in departmental duties. Official records say that authorities were unhappy with the 1987-batch IPS officer’s repeated absence in departmental meetings. However, there is speculation that Goel was sacked for trying to follow due procedure and defying government pressure to do otherwise.
According to Indian Express, Goel inspected Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station in September, 2021 and called for the removal of the station in-charge for poor upkeep of records and lack of hygiene. However, the officer was not removed from duty.
The Hindustan Times reported that Goel was absent from a recent press briefing on important government decisions regarding law and order. Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar, who has now been given temporary additional charge of the DGP’s responsibilities, addressed media persons with Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Kumar Awasthi. The newspaper said that Goel wasn’t called for team meetings and departmental presentations of the home department like that.
In 2007, Goel was among several other IPS officers suspended by the then Mayawati-led government for alleged irregularities in police recruitment. He was reinstated and made ADG Law and Order during the Akhilesh Yadav-led government. This was around the same time that the Muzaffarnagar riots broke out in 2013. Having served as the DGP for 11 months and ADG Border Security Force prior to that, Goel will retire in February 2024.
Likely candidates to replace Goel are Rajendra Pal Singh (DG, Police Training); R K Vishwakarma (DG, UP Police Recruitment & Promotion Board); Devendra Singh Chauhan (DG, Intelligence); Anand Kumar (DG, Prison); and Anil Agrawal (on Central deputation), said the Indian Express.
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