In a major reshuffle, Ravi Prakash Meharda, who was serving as DG SCRB, cyber crime and technical services, has been moved to head anti corruption bureau. Hemant Priyadarshi, who was serving in ACB since October 2022, has been transferred to SCRB and cyber crime as additional director general. Hemant Priyadarshi has officiated as DG ACB twice in his tenure in the anti corruption unit.
Another IPS Sachin Mittal, who was serving as additional director general in recruitment and promotion board along with cyber crime has been detached from cyber crime. He will take care of only recruitment and promotion board.
Why Ravi Prakash Meharda replaced Hemant Priyadarshy?
The overall tenure of Hemant Priyadarshy had been okay. He was given charge of DG twice – first on January 2023 when then DG ACB B L Soni retired. The charge continued till January 31, 2024 when Rajeev Kumar Sharma was appointed full fledged DG in ACB. After a brief period, Sharma went on deputation to Delhi brining Priyadarshy again as ACB chief last month.
However, the performance of ACB in past few months have not been upto mark. There have been reportedly lapses which worked in favour of corrupt officials. The state government was said to be not happy with the investigation of ACB on the kidney transplant case where there have been alleged involvement of top doctors and private hospital management.
Apart from that, the role of ACB also came under scanner when the ACB without the knowledge of law department has filed its reply with Supreme Court stating that the case doesn't stand against UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal and other officers in the single patta case, eventually giving clean chit to Dhariwal. The BJP government, which has been fighting the case in Supreme Court against Dhariwal had to cut sorry figure before the Supreme Court . The ACB suspended additional SP Surendra Singh in this case.
The recent bribery case of Dudu collector is also said to have been mishandled by ACB. The agency failed to catch Dudu collector Hanuman Mal Dhaka, who had allegedly demanded ₹25 lakh for not taking action in a land conversion case. The information of raid was allegedly leaked alerting the collector and his accomplice, who didn't fall in trap.
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