Datta appointed as IG - Special Protection Group!

Jaipur: There has been a ‘moment of happiness’ for the Rajasthan police for the second time in the current week as 2000 batch IPS Umesh Chander Datta has been posted on deputation on the important post of IG-SPG. Prior to this, 1990 batch IPS -Rajeev Kumar Sharma - was relieved on Tuesday and moved to Delhi to serve as DG, Police research and Development.

It should be noted that the Special Protection Group is tasked with the security of the Prime Minister and Umesh Chander Datta will also carry out the responsibility as IG. Among the strength of 259 IPS officers in Rajasthan cadre, 22 officers are now on central deputation or on foreign assignment. Among these are Nina Singh and Rajeev Kumar Sharma (on DG level post), Vishal Bansal and Alok Kumar Vashishtha (on ADG level post) and now Umesh Datta (On IG level post) who are on deputation. Moreover, there are two 2006 batch IG level officers on foreign assignments too. They are - Don K. Jose - serving in Indian Embassy in Moscow as First Secretary and - Hemant Sharma - serving as Police Planning Officer in United Nations in New York. The story around 2009 batch IPS Preeti Jain’s central deputation is quite interesting. She has been posted in Ministry of Finance as Director, away from Police administration. She went on central deputation in January 2023. There are other officers who are posted in CBI, IB, ISF departments on deputation. Notably, Umesh Datta was posted on the post of Jaipur Range IG since the time of last government i.e. from February 2022. While several officials were transferred after the formation of new government, but Datta was kept on his post, whereas there were several claimants for the post of Jaipur IG. The state govt must not have considered it to be prudent to shift Datta owing to his vast experience serving at the centre and his capabilities. Umesh has served for seven long years - from 2013 to 2020 - on various posts while being on central deputation. During this time, he also served for five long years on sensitive position of SP in CBI. There are ten years left for his retirement and it can be gauged that either in the centre or in the state, he will serve on top positions!