Jharkhand DGP appointment row reaches Supreme Court

The controversy surrounding the appointment of IPS officer Anurag Gupta as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Jharkhand has reached the Supreme Court.

The matter was mentioned before a Bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice Vinod Chandran this morning, which said that a three-judge Bench will hear the case.

"DGP in Jharkhand is continuing despite the process of DGP appointment," submitted Senior Advocate Anjana Prakash.

"Whom are you appearing for?" asked the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

"I am appearing for a social activists who is against the appointment," Prakash replied.

"We will have it listed before a three-judge Bench," the CJI informed.

According to reports, Gupta was supposed to retire from office on April 30 this year under the Central government's rules on reaching the age of 60 years. However, the State government wanted to extend his tenure.

The State's Home Ministry is reported to have maintained that Gupta was appointed as the DGP on February 2, 2025, under newly notified Jharkhand DGP and IG Selection and Appointment Rules, 2025 (notified on January 8, 2025).

On April 22, 2025, the Union Home Ministry wrote a letter to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, flagging that Gupta's tenure cannot be extended beyond his scheduled retirement.

However, the State government went ahead and retained Gupta as the Jharkhand DGP.

He was also reportedly given a "provisional pay slip" recently, amid the ongoing row between the Centre and the State.

This state of affairs has now been challenged before the Supreme Court by certain social activists.

Notably, a related matter is pending before the Jharkhand High Court as well.

According to reports, BJP Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, Babulal Marandi has filed a petition challenging DGP Gupta's appointment and the extension of his tenure as illegal.